SINGAPORE - While the Housing Board completed the construction of 11 senior activity centres at studio apartment developments last year, the handover from HDB to the appointed operators of three of the centres has been delayed.
Minister of State for National Development Maliki Osman said on Thursday that for these three cases, the appointed operators requested for a later takeover due to manpower and resource constraints.
He was responding to questions in Parliament from MP for Jurong GRC David Ong.
Mr Ong pointed out that delays in operating the centres, which also come with an alert alarm system for emergencies, might compromise the social needs and safety of senior residents.
But Dr Maliki assured the house that the HDB and Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) have been working closely with operators to ensure the prompt opening of the centres.
He said: "We will work with the MSF to ensure that the timeline of the availability of the facilities to be handed over matches the availability for the operators to be ready and to provide the necessary services."
He added that the HDB and MSF are committed to opening the three delayed centres in April or May this year.
