Rats and cockroaches rampage in East Coast GRC

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/08/10...ast-coast-grc/

Rats and cockroaches rampage in East Coast GRC




August 10th, 2015 |
Author: Editorial



The Chinese media have reported that rats and cockroaches are rampaging at a
grass verge in front of a coffeeshop at Bedok North. Some of them have run into
the coffeeshop and frightened customers there. As a result, business has dropped
by some 20%, angering the stall owners at the kopitiam.



Apparently, the situation came to light when a netizen posted a video online,
showing rats and cockroaches running about at Block 217 Bedok North. Within a
short 40 seconds of the video clip, 16 cockroaches are seen scavenging and rats
are seen at the void deck of the block.

On Wednesday (5 Aug), reporters went to the scene twice to try to understand
the situation. A number of rat holes and cockroach hideouts were found at the
grass verge in front of the coffeeshop.

Toh Hwee Ling, 49, supervisor of the coffeeshop, said that the problem of
rats and cockroaches has been going on for the past 2 years and is getting
worse. It is especially bad during the rainy season.

“Patrons now know that it is going to rain when they see cockroaches. Every
time at least 50 over cockroaches will run into the coffeeshop and void deck to
take cover from the rain. It is really disgusting,” she said.

Ms Toh added that once night falls, rats will start to become active and run
into the coffeeshop. They frighten the patrons, but the staff are hapless.

One of the stall owners, who wants to remain anonymous, said that with the
rats running into the coffeeshop frequently, they have no choice but to store
the food in buckets so as to prevent the rodents from “stealing the food”.

Ms Toh told reporters that they have tried all ways and means to eliminate
the pests but they keep multiplying and patrons are avoiding their coffeeshop.
Business has dropped at least 20%.

Rats are present elsewhere too

Some distance from the coffeeshop, rats are also seen scurrying about at void
decks. It shows that the rodent problem is deep-rooted.

The residents say that besides the coffeeshop, rats can also be found in the
nearby blocks. When a reporter walked past Block 213, movements at the grass
verge were noticed. Upon closer inspection, the reporter saw a big rat and 4
small rats squeezing out of a small covered drain at the void deck of the block.
Led by the big rat, they were seen scavenging for food in the vicinity.

Later, the reporter counted at least 10 rats within a short span of 10
minutes.

The ineffective East Coast Town council


Minister Lim Swee Say with his famous toothpick (Photo:
ST)


On Wednesday afternoon, personnel from NEA, East Coast Town Council, a pest
control company, and the cleaning contractor, were seen inspecting the area.

The reporter observed that staff from the pest control company opened the
drainage cover of the coffeeshop for inspection. Cockroaches were seen at the
edges of the drainage hole and there was a foul smell. A sample of the water was
taken from the drain, and larvae was reportedly found.

A staff from the East Coast Town Council was seen giving advice to the
coffeeshop employees on how to keep the area clean and clear food waste so as
not to attract rats and cockroaches.

In response to media inquiry, East Coast Town Council said that it will
assist to clean up the drainage outside the coffeeshop. Also, it will follow up
on the extermination of the pests.

But as Ms Toh told reporters, the rat and cockroach problem has been around
for 2 years. Yet the East Coast Town Council are unable to tackle it.

The last election saw PAP make a last ditch effort to send a super
heavyweight minister Mr Lim Swee Say and affable MP Dr Maliki Osman, to fend off
the advances of WP in East Coast GRC. Fortunately for PAP, the current PAP team
managing East Coast Town Council won by a close margin. Logically, it would have
spurred the PAP MPs to put in extra effort in municipal matters so as to assure
the 54% of voters that they have made the right choice.

Unfortunately for the voters living in the vicinity of Block 217 Bedok North,
electing a big name minister like Mr Lim Swee Say did not guarantee top-notch
performance from the town council.

Will the voters of East Coast GRC still prefer big name ministers as their
MPs with no guarantee of exemplary service?

What do you think?






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