As the past week was an insanely hectic one for me, I barely had time to stay updated with what's been happening in the news. When i finally had time to catch up on the week's happenings, the tragic Geylang Serai food poisoning cases got my attention. Honestly, i got so bothered by what's been going on that if i were not bound by the cs code, i probably would have written in to the forum (not that there would be much chance of it being published though). So i guess being pissed off here is the next best thing.
Read any of the mainstream local media (out of necessity more than anything else) and the blame always seems to gravitate towards the stall owner, Mr Sheikh Allaudin and his staff. Since ultimately it was his stall that served the tainted food, definitely at least some of the blame for what has happened lies with him. To give him some credit, he has accepted the blame and apologized for what has happened and is prepared to face the consequences.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the NEA and the Environment and Water Resources Ministry as a whole. I really don't know how they can sleep at night after all the shifting of blame and responsibility that they've been engaged in in the wake of this incident.
For starters, NEA gave the incredulous response that they are not directly responsible for the hygiene in temporary markets and food centres, but only at permanent ones. Instead, the management committee is supposed to be in charge, and the NEA just conducts spot checks. I wish someone could enlighten me on the logic behind such a move. Logic, that is, beyond the NEA trying to shirk from its rightful responsibility. Even if the choice to build a temporary market is not up to the NEA and may be a voluntary undertaking by the local traders' association, surely there is the need for the relevant government agency in whatever case to take an overall policing and enforcement role. And this should all the more be so in temporary markets such as the one in Geylang Serai, where the workmanship, facilities and what not may possibly not hold up as well as those at the permanent site and therefore require more hand-holding on the part of the government agency. After all, they are the logical experts when it comes to food hygiene, not any management committee. If not, why bother to have such a body in the first place? At the very least, the NEA should apologize for instituting this policy in the first place and change it in the wake of its painfully obvious shortcomings as demonstrated in this case.
According to the ST, all the cooked food stalls in the temporary market have received a mixture of B and C hygiene grades. In other words, there's not a single A amongst them. I must admit that I'm not the most frequent visitor of food centres islandwide but nevertheless i'd like to think that at every food centre there are at least a handful, if not even just one, stall that manages to be hygiene-conscious enough for an A rating to be warranted. That not even a single stall was able to attain an A grade ought to have triggered alarm bells at the NEA, at least during one of their so-called spot checks. This ought to have signalled to them that it may not simply be an issue with the hawkers, but also with the venue itself. Didn't they spot even one of the now famous sixty-one rats during these checks? One wonders if they had not let their guard down since they were not directly responsible for the hygiene there, and hence would not kena if something happened to them, as in fact turned out to be the case.
And speaking of the rats, the ST also mentions that Mr Ahmad S. Said, the president of the Geylang Serai Traders' Association had raised the matter of rat and roach infestations with the NEA as early as March last year - more than a year ago. I wonder what the NEA had done, if anything at all, upon being alerted to this matter. Were any large-scale rat-catching exercises like the one that coughed up sixty-one, 'tip-of-the-iceberg' rodents following this food poisonong outbreak carried out in response to Mr Ahmad's notification? It's somewhat tragically amusing to see how all these wayang efforts at improving the hygiene standards can pop up everywhere, alongside the blowing of much hot air from the relevant ministers with choice quotes like "it's outrageous that this has happened". This instead of the constant vigilant policing that should have been the case long before this incident happened and that is but expected of a place with a carefully-cultivated reputation for cleanliness such as S'pore.
Yes, Mr Yaacob, it's outrageous that this has happened. Don't forget though, that it's also outrageous that you and your ministry let it happen. How disappointing it is that this is the level of accountability that we get with million-dollar ministerial salaries.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
good in every way
This past Wednesday i left school early (3ish - more than an hour earlier than the next earliest i've ever left) as i had to go to nie (yes, nie, all of an eternity and then some's journey from my school) to submit something. It was due that day and i only was finished with it earlier that day so i had no choice (the result of my usual procrastination).
Made it there with just enough time to submit it before the offices closed and then since i was there decided to go for cf since the time and the date were right. It was a welcome change from my usual afternoon/evening routine (i.e. stay holed up at my desk doing work, leaving for home and arriving as the sun is setting) even if it meant extra work to do the following day.
Unfortunately while there i realized i was starting to fall sick. My throat had started to feel very dry and sore that morning once my lesson observation had finished and had remained that way since then - three 'extra strong' strepsils had only succeeded in freshening my breath. During cf i blew out one entire packet of tissue's worth of sick from my nose. On my way back i had no water with me and my tongue started to turn sandpapery dry.
I don't normally take sick days - partly cos i rarely fall sick to a severe enough extent (or when that does happen, it's at other inopportune times like during the MEET trip/overseas holidays that don't require me to miss any school) and also cos i find the paperwork very leceh (that applying especially once nie started up till now as well). And so even though i felt like the following day things would only get worse, i was determined to not miss school the following day. So i wanted to get an early night.
But well as we all know nie is just that far away from anything else of any consequence in S'pore (except maybe JP), and added to that, it's a long story but basically i temporarily misplaced my phone, only finding out where it was at close to 11pm that night (which already was way past the targeted bedtime). In other words, no early night for me, and i must have been quite delirious, for i set my alarm for 5am, half and hour earlier than i usually do.
Come Thursday and i managed to struggle through my only real class for the day - i wonder if the Lord made it such that since i hadn't the strength nor adequate pre-lesson prep due to the sick to do a good enough lesson, he dare i say blessed me with a class that turned out to be extra distracted that day despite repeated warnings from me, which gave me the justification (excuse?) to finally cut short my lesson and play the "if-you're-going-to-show-that-little-interest-in-my-lesson-i-might-as-well-not-teach-at-all" card. The lot of them did seem to show some semblance of remorse by the time i did that, thankfully (and hopefully too - their next class is also my next observation, and a twin one at that eek).
My only classes left for the day were not to involve any actual teaching on my part. But that morning i got thrown a major curveball in the form of a last two period relief with one of my 'favorite' classes. I knew i was in no physical shape to deal with this bunch for one period, let alone two. Another long story which i'd better not get too into here follows, but well it ended up (relatively) well i suppose, with a better rapport being established with a handful of them (those i could keep my eyes on, anyways).
So fast forward to today and something i uttered at cf on Wed rings even more true - this Good Friday is really good - in every respect. The added goodness of it this time round for me is that there is a much needed respite from work, and a chance to be sick at home, rather than at school, while not missing any school either.
Of course, that's far from the main reason why as we remember this particular Friday, it's really that good eh. When i was making the few references that i did about this day being Good Friday and all to students, there was scant recognition on their part of what it was. That left me with one added thing to think about as this week of school ends...
(and to close, since recently i've been trying to read the Bible in French, here's some translated hillsong words to think about)
A la croix je me prostèrne
Où Ton sang coula pour moi
Aucun amour n’est plus grand
Tu as gagné sur la mort
Ta gloire remplit les lieux tres hauts
Rein ne peut nous separer
Made it there with just enough time to submit it before the offices closed and then since i was there decided to go for cf since the time and the date were right. It was a welcome change from my usual afternoon/evening routine (i.e. stay holed up at my desk doing work, leaving for home and arriving as the sun is setting) even if it meant extra work to do the following day.
Unfortunately while there i realized i was starting to fall sick. My throat had started to feel very dry and sore that morning once my lesson observation had finished and had remained that way since then - three 'extra strong' strepsils had only succeeded in freshening my breath. During cf i blew out one entire packet of tissue's worth of sick from my nose. On my way back i had no water with me and my tongue started to turn sandpapery dry.
I don't normally take sick days - partly cos i rarely fall sick to a severe enough extent (or when that does happen, it's at other inopportune times like during the MEET trip/overseas holidays that don't require me to miss any school) and also cos i find the paperwork very leceh (that applying especially once nie started up till now as well). And so even though i felt like the following day things would only get worse, i was determined to not miss school the following day. So i wanted to get an early night.
But well as we all know nie is just that far away from anything else of any consequence in S'pore (except maybe JP), and added to that, it's a long story but basically i temporarily misplaced my phone, only finding out where it was at close to 11pm that night (which already was way past the targeted bedtime). In other words, no early night for me, and i must have been quite delirious, for i set my alarm for 5am, half and hour earlier than i usually do.
Come Thursday and i managed to struggle through my only real class for the day - i wonder if the Lord made it such that since i hadn't the strength nor adequate pre-lesson prep due to the sick to do a good enough lesson, he dare i say blessed me with a class that turned out to be extra distracted that day despite repeated warnings from me, which gave me the justification (excuse?) to finally cut short my lesson and play the "if-you're-going-to-show-that-little-interest-in-my-lesson-i-might-as-well-not-teach-at-all" card. The lot of them did seem to show some semblance of remorse by the time i did that, thankfully (and hopefully too - their next class is also my next observation, and a twin one at that eek).
My only classes left for the day were not to involve any actual teaching on my part. But that morning i got thrown a major curveball in the form of a last two period relief with one of my 'favorite' classes. I knew i was in no physical shape to deal with this bunch for one period, let alone two. Another long story which i'd better not get too into here follows, but well it ended up (relatively) well i suppose, with a better rapport being established with a handful of them (those i could keep my eyes on, anyways).
So fast forward to today and something i uttered at cf on Wed rings even more true - this Good Friday is really good - in every respect. The added goodness of it this time round for me is that there is a much needed respite from work, and a chance to be sick at home, rather than at school, while not missing any school either.
Of course, that's far from the main reason why as we remember this particular Friday, it's really that good eh. When i was making the few references that i did about this day being Good Friday and all to students, there was scant recognition on their part of what it was. That left me with one added thing to think about as this week of school ends...
(and to close, since recently i've been trying to read the Bible in French, here's some translated hillsong words to think about)
A la croix je me prostèrne
Où Ton sang coula pour moi
Aucun amour n’est plus grand
Tu as gagné sur la mort
Ta gloire remplit les lieux tres hauts
Rein ne peut nous separer
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
got the carolina blues
While it may be coming to three years since i was there for just about four months, and goodness knows how long before i go back again for a visit, i'm no less thrilled for the Heels and their 5th (woo!) national championship. Rather than being on Franklin Street or anywhere near Chapel Hill though, i was instead doing some relief teaching duty and then sitting at my desk watching the live updates of the game score online. Well i'm no fan of both crowds and spontaneously-lit and clothing-fueled street bonfires, so maybe it's just as well that i wasn't on Franklin Street. From a strait-laced, S'porean perspective though it's kinda mind-blowing to think that something that potentially can be a huge threat to law and order is at the least tolerated to some extent, if not even welcomed with open arms. Try to pull a stunt like that here if we were to win anything of significance (and please, how often does that happen?) and it's police custody for you.
But i digress. I still do miss the Hill. Heaps. All the more so when i compare it to what the future has in store over here. No matter how good an experience the five-ish weeks at school thus far have been, nevertheless what a foretaste it has been of the many probable eyerolls and grumbles there will be in time to come. Maybe i should invest in a punching bag. Oh, to be a quitter...
Well, in the meantime, go heels!
But i digress. I still do miss the Hill. Heaps. All the more so when i compare it to what the future has in store over here. No matter how good an experience the five-ish weeks at school thus far have been, nevertheless what a foretaste it has been of the many probable eyerolls and grumbles there will be in time to come. Maybe i should invest in a punching bag. Oh, to be a quitter...
Well, in the meantime, go heels!
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
trips
I've almost never been one to do complete any piece of work way beforehand. For me it has always been those proverbial last bursts of fire that do the trick. At the same time, while i'm hardly the type who can't care any less about the quality of work that i produce, i'm also, at least in this regard, far from being a perfectionist. Putting in a reasonable effort which suffices in getting the job done just before it is due is what i'd normally do.
Now that, for the first time, i'm no longer the one that is simply assigned work to do but instead has to not only assign the work to others but also plan and prepare for classes that will help them toward the end of being sufficiently equipped to do that work, as well as mark the returned work promptly, my normal way of doing things as a student can't really hold anymore. Why? Cos now any screw ups on my part no longer only serve to be to my own detriment, but also potentially that of a whole host of others, who regardless of how much (or little) they hold you in regard, or for that matter cooperate with you to begin with, would normally at least trust that you are holding up to your end of the bargain even if they ever should not be doing the same. Already, on a more basic, primal level, i wouldn't be able to deal with the guilt of doing that. And hence all the more so on a higher level as one who is placed in a position to glorify God in whatever manner that may come up, including being as a channel of Christ to others.
It's not been easy thus far, and perhaps i still end up doing things last minute. For starters there hardly seems to be enough time... However, if the aforementioned higher level has yet to kick in, at least the prospect of feeling guilty over what could have been has worked to enough of an extent such that some i have been putting in reasonable effort into whatever i've been doing. I hardly feel like that effort is being appreciated by them (and come to think of it, i still have my doubts as to whether it is worth being appreciated in the first place), but someone has to start somewhere eh...
Random praise point for the day: Finally figured out how to photocopy double-sided using the feeder - it took five weeks (+ close to five years, if you count uni)
I need a holiday...
Now that, for the first time, i'm no longer the one that is simply assigned work to do but instead has to not only assign the work to others but also plan and prepare for classes that will help them toward the end of being sufficiently equipped to do that work, as well as mark the returned work promptly, my normal way of doing things as a student can't really hold anymore. Why? Cos now any screw ups on my part no longer only serve to be to my own detriment, but also potentially that of a whole host of others, who regardless of how much (or little) they hold you in regard, or for that matter cooperate with you to begin with, would normally at least trust that you are holding up to your end of the bargain even if they ever should not be doing the same. Already, on a more basic, primal level, i wouldn't be able to deal with the guilt of doing that. And hence all the more so on a higher level as one who is placed in a position to glorify God in whatever manner that may come up, including being as a channel of Christ to others.
It's not been easy thus far, and perhaps i still end up doing things last minute. For starters there hardly seems to be enough time... However, if the aforementioned higher level has yet to kick in, at least the prospect of feeling guilty over what could have been has worked to enough of an extent such that some i have been putting in reasonable effort into whatever i've been doing. I hardly feel like that effort is being appreciated by them (and come to think of it, i still have my doubts as to whether it is worth being appreciated in the first place), but someone has to start somewhere eh...
Random praise point for the day: Finally figured out how to photocopy double-sided using the feeder - it took five weeks (+ close to five years, if you count uni)
I need a holiday...
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