Monday, February 27, 2012

New and improved hawker centres?

The main article in the Straits Times today bore the headline “Future hawker centres: keeping food cheap.” It discussed some recommendations of an 18-member panel for new hawker centres. Among the recommendations:

- Rooftop gardens and solar panels

- On site child care

- Table decals reminding patrons to return their trays (Train announcements don’t work, why should decals?)

- Street buskers

- Value meals

- Locksmiths, cobblers, and other household services

Next time a loan shark chains and padlocks your front gate just bring the whole thing down to the hawker centre and let the locksmith open it while you eat your noodles.

What’s missing? There was no recommendation to require that all dishware and utensils be washed in hot soapy water. I can’t believe not one of the 18 committee members thought of that!