Waxed paper wrappers, plastic bags, plastic cups, styrofoam boxes & plates - often used in hawker centres. How hygienic or safe for use?

Would abolishing the use of these items and using proper plates, lunch boxes help us Save The World ... by going Green?  Or will the use of detergent, soaps to wash plastic plates, lunch boxes be more detrimental?

Will the appropriate authority enlighten us?

Tks.

SCORPIO*

TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT AS A FOOD STALL ASSISTANT OR HAWKER'S HELPER, ONE MUST HAVE A CERTIFICATE FROM THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY CONFIRMING THAT ONE 'HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE FOOD HYGIENE COURSE".

TO GET THIS CERTIFICATE, ONE HAS TO ATTEND A BASIC FOOD HYGIENE COURSE & THEN PASS A TEST CONDUCTED BY NEA.

ALL THIS WAS DONE AT NEA BRANCHES IN THE PAST. FOR EXAMPLE, I GOT MY CERTIFICATE IN JULY 2003. I ATTENDED THE COURSE AT NEA ATTAP VALLEY ROAD, FOLLOWED BY A WRITTEN TEST. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I GOT MY CERTIFICATE.

NEA HAS SINCE PASSED THE CONDUCTING OF SUCH COURSES TO PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS.

MY BROTHER, 60 YEAR OLD,  ATTENDED THE COURSE ON 23 MAY 2007 AT A TRAINING OUTFIT IN GOLDHILL PLAZA. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE COURSE, HE RUSHED TO THE ENVIRONMENT BLD IN SCOTTS ROAD ON THE SAME DAY & SAT FOR HIS TEST.

TODAY, 26 DAYS LATER, HE IS STILL AWAITING THE RESULT OF HIS TEST!

IF HE FAILED THE TEST, HE WILL HAVE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO RE-TAKE THE TEST. MAYBE EVEN DO THE COURSE AGAIN. COURSE PROVIDERS ARE NOW PLENTIFUL & NEED SUFFICIENT PARTICIPANTS BEFORE THEY CAN FORM THE CLASS & PROCEED WITH THE TRAINING. S0, CLASSES ARE NOT SO READILY AVAILABLE.

IS IT ANY WONDER THAN, THAT FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS EMPLOY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE FOOD HYGIENE COURSE CERTIFICATION AT ALL. AT 60, MY BROTHER, WHO IS SINGLE ALL HIS LIFE, & NOW LIVES ALONE IN A HDB STUDIO APARTMENT, HAVE LIMITED JOB OPPORTUNITIES, BUT HE WANTS TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT.

HE SUPPORTS WORKFARE TOO. DOES NEA?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MARK PAPERS THAT HAS ONLY 30 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED?

ALSO, CAN NEA CONTACT THE PARTICIPANTS SO THAT THEY CAN COLLECT PERSONALLY AT ENVIRONMENT BLD IF THEY SO CHOOSES?

I UNDERSTAND THAT NEA WILL SEND THE CERT TO THE COURSE PROVIDERS WHO WILL THEN TAKE FURTHER TIME & EFFORT TO SEND TO THE PARTICIPANTS!

IS THIS THE EFFICIENCY & JOB IMPROVEMENT WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON TO JUSTIFY PAY INCREASES FUNDED BY TAXPAYERS' MONEY?

THE MANDATORY 10% SERVICE CHARGE SHOULD BE REMOVED IMMIEDIATELY.

ALLOW PATRONS TO TIP ACCORDING TO ABILITY TO PAY & STANDARD OF SERVICE RENDERED.

I HAVE HAD TO REPEATEDLY EMAIL/COMPLAIN OF UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE STANDARDS AT RESTAURANTS, HOTELS ETC ... & YET HAD TO PAY SERVICE CHARGES ON SUCH OCCASIONS.

THE RATIONALE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SERVICE CHARGE IN PLACE OF TIPPING WAS TO ALLOW SERVICE SECTOR EMPLOYEES TO HAVE A FIXED TAKE HOME PAY, & TO DISCOURAGE DEMANDS FOR TIPS.

INITIALLY, SERVICE CHARGE WAS PAID ACCORDING TO COLLECTION. A WAITER WOULD BE ALLOTTED 5 SERVICE CHARGE POINTS FOR BEING IN A POSITION THAT RENDERS DIRECT SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS. A COOK WOULD HAVE BEEN ENTITLED TO 2 SERVICE CHARGE POINTS.

THE VALUE PER POINT THEN CALCULATED BASED ON THE ACTUAL MONTHLY COLLECTION, LESS ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES ETC DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF POINTS FOR THAT MONTH. THIS NATURALLY RESULTED IN FLUCTUATIONS. MONTHLY COLLECTIONS DIFFER, TOTAL POINTS ALSO DIFFERED.

HENCE, THE SERVICE CHARGE PART OF A WAITER'S REMUNERATION BECAME FIXED AT A CERTAIN DOLLAR VALUE PER PERIOD.

HOWEVER, UNIONS SOON BEGAN PRESSING  FOR SERVICE CHARGE VALUE PER POINT TO BE INCREASED YEARLY ... EVEN INDEPENDENT OF SERVICE STANDARDS.

HEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE CHARGE IS NO LONGER BASED ON SERVICE. IT BECAME AN ENTITLEMENT. THERE WAS NO MORE INCENTIVE TO WORK HARDER TO GENERATE A BIGGER TIP. IT WAS FIXED IN YOUR SERVICE CHARGE ENTITLEMENT REGARDLESS OF SERVICE STANDARDS.

WITH THE INTEGRATED RESORT BEING DEVELOPED, IT WOULD BE TIMELY TO REMOVE THE MANDATORY SERVICE CHARGE & LET SERVICE STAFF EARN THEIR KEEP FOR A CHANGE!!!

RETAIL OUTLETS, DEPARTMENT STORES, SUPERMARKETS, EVEN CONVENIENCE STORES, NEIGHBOURHOOD MOM & POP STORES, HOLE-IN-THE-WALL 'MAMAK' SHOPS ETC , ALSO RENDER 'SERVICE'. IF THE MANDATORY SERVICE CHARGE IS ALLOWED TO STAND, WHY THEN WAS THE SERVICE CHARGE SYSTEM APPLICABLE TO THESE NON-RESTAURANT, NON-HOTEL SERVICE PROVIDES?