Those looking to share concerns or ideas with the 4G team, here’s an excellent opportunity — or rather, opportunities.
From now till Sep 2023, various 4G ministers will visit almost all constituencies, including opposition ones, on weekends. These visits will happen fortnightly save Dec 2022.
Kicking off the Ministerial Community Visits (MCVs) after a two-year hiatus because of Covid, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited Yio Chu Kang SMC on Oct 30. He was hosted by Mr Yip Hon Weng, MP Yio Chu Kang, whose constituency will be the first in Singapore to fully incorporate dementia-friendly features by 2025.
Return of the MCVs
That said, such visits are not new and has nothing to do with the timing of the General Elections.
“We do it every term in the Government, but since the last election in 2020, we have not had an MCV because of Covid-19. Now that the restrictions are eased, I think it’s about time we resume more activities in the community but at the same time also the MCVs,” DPM Wong told media on the sidelines of the event.
What’s different this time, is the inclusion of the Forward Singapore exercise as a discussion point.
DPM Wong said that these visits would help bring the Forward Singapore exercise to Singaporeans.
“We would like to take Forward Singapore to the ground, which means that we will do more to engage residents where they are, get their views and feedback on the range of policy issues that they care deeply about, so that will better inform us in our own policy reviews as part of our Forward Singapore exercise” he said.
In addition, DPM Wong said that these visits will not just involve the grassroots organisations but also a wider range of community partners and stakeholders so as to better understand projects taking place within the community.
Why 4G?
On why only 4G ministers are conducting these visits, DPM Wong explained: “Now that we are going about leadership transition as well and the 4G ministers are very much the ones in the Forward Singapore workgroup, I think it’s right that they, being in charge of the different policy reviews under the different pillars of Forward Singapore, are also the ones visiting the community.”
For those wondering why the MCVs are only planned till Sep 2023, rest assured that it’s not a hard stop for these visits
DPM Wong explained that the planning was due to the ministers’ and MPs’ schedules.
“We certainly plan to continue beyond September.”
He added that priority will be given to constituencies with first-time MPs.
Top file photo from DPM Wong Facebook