PM Lee Hsien Loong at the Mayors' Swearing-In Ceremony (Jun 2011)

Mr Lim Swee Say, Deputy Chairman of PA
Mayors
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

Happy to join you this afternoon for the Mayors’ swearing-in ceremony.

I congratulate Dr Amy Khor, Dr Teo Ho Pin and Mr Teo Ser Luck on their reappointments. I also thank Mr Matthias Yao and Mr Zainudin Nordin for their leadership and many contributions — they cared for and served their residents well, introduced many effective programmes, and Left big shoes to fill. We welcome Dr Maliki as Mayor for South East District and Mr Sam Tan as Mayor for Central Singapore District.

It has been 14 years since we launched CDCs. We have progressively done more, especially to take charge of social assistance schemes, e.g. supporting poor families, tuition to needy children, befriending and helping vulnerable elderly, retraining and job fairs for workers. They are doing vital work.

There are two important reasons why CDCs have worked well.

First, they are close to the ground — better outreach, more intimate understanding of ground issues, and more able to direct resources to those in need.

Second, they can tap on community support. They encourage corporations, GROs, VWOs and other organisations to contribute funds and manpower and leverage on volunteers to deliver services with a human touch. In this way, they multiply the resources available to help the needy and at the same time foster a caring community.

CDCs are working hand-in-hand with GROs and community partners in many ways. To cite a couple of examples: 

E.g. Walk for Rice@ South East — South East CDC’s project, partnering NTUC Fairprice, and involving grassroots, schools and VWOs. In 2010, 19,000 participants walked to raise half a million bowls of rice to benefit 7,000 needy families.

Central Singapore CDC’s Nurture Programme — a weekly reading and enrichment programme for young children from low-income families. It has grown from 1 to 16 centres in 4 years. The receive funding support from companies like Credit Suisse and Starhub. It has over 1,400 volunteers from grassroots, VWOs, schools and companies, and serves as friends and role-models to 2,100 children, improving their English literacy and giving them a stronger foundation in life.

Government has been enhancing our social safety net. CDCs are the key agents to ensure that help is delivered promptly, efficiently and accurately to individuals and families most in need. As we continue to improve and refine our safety net, and increase support to groups in need, the responsibility of CDCs will grow. CDCs must rise to the challenge — outreach more, explore new programmes, and gather more volunteers. They can give good support to Advisors, grassroots leaders and residents. Only then can we ensure that the additional resources we put in will yield good results.

Mayors play key roles — leading and motivating their councillors, grassroots leaders and volunteers, encouraging new ideas to help the community, and most importantly, serving the people with all their heart.

I urge Mayors to use the next few years well. Evolve the CDCs to meet the changing needs and always remember the basic ABCs:  Assist the needy, Bond the people, and Connect the community, but continue to try new ways to engage a changing population. I wish Mayors the very best as they work to serve Singaporeans better.