Straits Times : New stat board to take over some of ENV's roles

MAY 25, 2002

New stat board to take over some of ENV's roles

The National Environment Agency will help create a leaner Environment Ministry that can focus on policy-making

A NEW statutory board will take over many of the operational duties of the Environment Ministry (ENV), which will now focus more on making policy.

The new National Environment Agency (NEA) will take over the environmental public health division and environmental policy and management division from the ENV, and the Meteorological Service from the Transport Ministry, said Minister of State (Environment, Health) Balaji Sadasivan at the second reading of the National Environment Agency Bill.

He said that ENV's scope and responsibility had expanded over the years, as environmental and public health issues grew more complex.

Hiving off operations to a new agency would create a leaner ministry that could 'focus on setting strategic policy directions and addressing key policy concerns'.

And the new agency can direct its attention to implementing and operating these policies effectively, he said.

Dr Balaji said that the new agency's key goals would be to minimise waste generation, and maximise recycling and conservation of resources.

Parliament had earlier passed the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (Amendment) Bill, which will transfer ENV's food control department to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), which comes under the National Development Ministry (MND).

This means the AVA will now regulate food safety at all stages up to retail. It will also set and enforce food safety standards, and oversee food labelling. ENV will regulate food safety at the retail end.

Previously, regulation was by food types. The AVA took charge of primary food such as meat, fish, and fresh vegetables, while the ENV was responsible for processed food and handling of all food at the retail end. The changes are to take effect on July 1.

Minister of State (National Development) Vivian Balakrishnan, who moved the Bill on behalf of the minister, added that the small 'f' in 'Agri-food and Veterinary Authority' would be capitalised 'to emphasise the expansion of the food-safety responsibilities of the AVA'.

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

THE key goals of the NEA would be to minimise waste generation, and maximise recycling and conservation of resources. It will focus on implementing and operating ENV's policies.

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT

With the hiving off of operations to NEA, the ENV will now focus on setting strategic policy directions and addressing key policy concerns.