LEADERSHIP AND ENFORCEMENT
It’s been 40 years since the first Keep Public Toilets Clean campaign in 1983, so what’s holding back the progress?
We have succeeded in dealing with spitting in public that was prevalent during my youth in the 50s and 60s. We have succeeded in dealing with irresponsible disposal of chewing gum, and more recently, we have moved the needle for people returning trays at hawker centres, coffee shops and food courts to more than 90 per cent since rules were imposed on diners to clear their tables.
What contributed to the success of those efforts?
First, leadership. Our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew was legendary for his genchi genbutsu, a Japanese concept meaning “go and see”. He walked the ground and observed the situation to understand the condition that enabled him to find a solution. And he was decisive in enforcement.
If public toilets are unclean because of the neglect of the operators and owners or misuse by staff, it is worth looking at whether these stakeholders should be held responsible and decisive actions should be taken. There must be a collective will to hold business leaders to a higher standard of public hygiene because it is a public health issue that cannot be compromised.
We know where the clean public toilets are – at the airport, hotels, shopping malls and iconic tourist attractions like Gardens by the Bay and Botanic Gardens.
The attention to detail by the boss matters – the late Mr Lee once asked for weekly reports on the state of cleanliness of the toilets at the airport. This prompted then Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore director-general Wong Woon Liong to ask his staff for a daily report, which in turn led the director of operations to ask for an hourly report.
Why should leaders in the coffee shop industry be exempt from such responsibilities? In fact, tainted food would affect consumers and the consequences could be dire for the nation.