The Minsterial Task Force on COVID -19: Provide support such as meals for lower-income citizens during a lockdown

18th March 2020

Dear Ministers,

We should all need the advice and wisdom of Mr Lawrence Wong who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force set up to deal with the coronavirus by not travelling as this stage as it is not is not a priority. More so with a new high of 27 new patients being infected with the coronavirus.

There needs to be good support measures in place to manage the possibility of a lockdown (“Coronavirus: Singapore will not rule out lockdown, but not on the cards for now, says Lawrence Wong”, March 18, 2020, The Straits Times).
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/coronavirus-singapore-will-not-rule-out-lockdown-but-not-on-the-cards-for-now-says

With people unable to move about freely during a lockdown, how will citizens – especially the lower income and vulnerable groups get their meals?

During the lockdown will markets and food centres be closed?

Will food companies like GrabFood or Foodpanda be allowed to operate?

For the higher income group, it will not be an issue to buy meals if the food delivery companies are allowed to continue with business.

If markets and food centres are permitted to open, only one person per household can be allowed to buy cooked and uncooked food.

In preparation for this move, perhaps the grassroots leaders or the armed forces can be mobilised to help distribute meals for the period when the lockdown is in force. This is one way for these two groups to rally around the taskforce to help manage a challenging issue.  In doing so, panic buying can also be significantly reduced.

In a support measure to workers who are not allowed to work during the lockdown now taking place in the Philippines, President Duterte in a public address appealed to business firms to give their employees their 13th-month pay even if it’s pro-rated, or even half of their monthly salaries for them to survive the possible loss of income during the “enhanced community quarantine” period.

This can be done here in Singapore as well if a lockdown is required.

 

I appreciate a response, please. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Raymond Anthony Fernando