It is the
norm for the Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) to send money back home at the end
of the month (Coronavirus: Safe distancing concerns over crowds at Lucky Plaza,
2 June,2020).
See the ST
report here:
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/coronavirus-safe-distancing-concerns-over-crowds-at-lucky-plaza ).
I wrote to The Straits Times Forum
page to provide some workable, practical suggestion, but as expected, my
article was rejected-again.
We have to
understand that these FDWs leave their families behind to earn better wages
here in Singapore to provide for their families who are poor. They only get their salaries at the end of
the month and are only given rest days on Sundays.
I have seen the queues at Lucky Plaza and the
safe-distancing measures put in place including temperature taking by the safe distancing ambassadors and they are indeed,
orderly. Bear in mind also that it is
tiring for these personnel to stand long hours undertaking these tasks.
Therefore, we should not be overly anxious.
However, to give greater peace of
mind to all concerned, we can always improve on the measures by encouraging all
the remittance companies to operate on two shifts at the end of the month.
This means one shift starts at 8am
and ends at 5pm and the second shift begins at 5pm and ends at 9pm or
10pm. This can be done from Fridays to
Sundays at the end of each month when people traffic is high. This will allow
the FDWs the opportunity to remit money much easier without much anxiety, and
at the same time allows crowds to be spread more evenly.
Raymond Anthony
Fernando
My website: https://www.raybeacon.com/?fbclid=IwAR170HbgWR8ENxfN_YfgxfnB_DL_IUpDap0hw_c8n0QD1l7OiMU2FWdoy_k
