Looking ahead

The Health, Environment and National Development ministries yesterday unveiled their plans and initiatives for the next few years in their addenda to the President's Address at the Opening of Singapore's 10th Parliament. MPs will meet next week to debate these proposals. KAREN WONG finds out what is in store

HEALTH

IN THE WORKS

• Implement Eldershield, a basic severe-disability insurance scheme by the third quarter of this year
• Reset Medisave withdrawal limits and Medishield claim limits for in-patient and day-surgery cases in 2003
• Build new polyclinics in Jurong West and Sengkang and revamp polyclinic in Queenstown, by 2004
• Complete Jurong General Hospital by 2006
• Build a new rehabilitation centre and a communicable-disease centre on Tan Tock Seng Hospital premises by 2006
• Complete Northern General Hospital by 2008
  Increase the proportion of private nursing home beds to 40 per cent by 2010

ON THE DRAWING BOARD

• Introduce selective means testing for allocation of health-care subsidies to target subsidies at the lower-income groups
  
• Introduce compulsory continuing medical education for doctors in 2003 and consider the need for regular re-certification of doctors
  
• National screening programmes for breast and cervical cancers and basic oral-health services for all secondary schools
  
• Start a system to detect and mitigate potential sources of medical errors
  
• Regulate health products like medical devices and health supplements
  
• Create career-development opportunities for nurses and more opportunities for students to pursue para-medical degree courses overseas.
  
• Pursue integration between the two health-care clusters and closer collaboration between the public and private sector

   

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

IN THE WORKS

• Explore the release of a site in the New Downtown area to be developed as an integrated business and financial centre
  
• Continue with land-reclamation programme in Singapore's territorial waters to meet increasing demand
  
• Keep Housing Board flats affordable so that at least 90 per cent of Singapore households can be homeowners
  
• Widen the choice of design, layout and finishes for flat buyers, with new flats coming up in more established estates and walk-in flat selection for urgent cases

ON THE DRAWING BOARD

• Explore new land-use zonings and the possibility of introducing a greater variety of lease tenures in land sales to meet changing business needs
  
• Find ways to simplify development rules and controls and allow greater flexibility in building designs
  
• Move towards greater self-regulation for architects and professional engineers
  
• Review the structure of the Housing Board to meet its core objective of providing home ownership for Singaporeans.
  
• Review housing policies to keep public-housing expenditure in line with economic growth and take into consideration the need to balance this with other government spending, such as on health and education
  
• Step up efforts to diversify food sources; offer consultancy services in safe food-production techniques.
  
• Promote sky-rise gardens and distinctive streetscape greenery.
  
• Engage the community to organise more activities in parks for residents
  
• Establish an inventory of nature areas and ensure that adequate studies are done before development

   

ENVIRONMENT

IN THE WORKS

• Tap all possible sources, such as desalination and Newater, to supplement current supply and maintain a stable, secure water supply
  
• Upgrade hawker centres
  
• Step up anti-littering efforts
  
• Work closely with neighbouring countries to tackle common environmental concerns

ON THE DRAWING BOARD

• Consider new policies and measures to encourage the use of cleaner energy and promote energy efficiency and conservation
  
• Explore the restructuring and corporatising of waste-incinerator operations
  
• Take steps to prevent and control communicable diseases through more research
  
• Enhance environmental awareness and get Singaporeans to take part in environmental projects, such as the national recycling programme