Minister Heng Swee Keat took to his Facebook on Thursday (23 July) to encourage families and children to explore local attractions and go on staycations during this week-long school break.
Mr Heng started his post by saying that the “new routines” have been adopted by the students since the reopening of schools on 2 June.
“In these challenging times, COVID-19 has taught us and our children important life lessons — the importance of adaptability, resilience and an indomitable spirit,” he noted.
While encouraging the families to make use of their school break to discover the island, Mr Heng also cited a few examples of places to visit, saying, “There are also many wonderful spots in East Coast that you can explore — Changi Beach Park, Changi Village, Pulau Ubin, and East Coast Park just to name a few.”
He then reminded the public to check the visitorship levels via NParks’ safe distancing portal in order to avoid crowds.
“If you decide to head out, do continue to stay vigilant and exercise social responsibility — observe safe distancing, adopt safe entry and wear a mask,” Mr Heng stated in his post.
Extremely crowded beaches at Sentosa and East Coast Park show complacency may be setting in, says Masagos Zulkifli
Meanwhile, Minister Masagos Zulkifli on Tuesday (21 July) raised concerns that the beaches at East Coast Park and Sentosa were “extremely crowded” over the past weekend.
Mr Masagos said that the Safe Distancing Ambassadors (SDA) and Enforcement Officers (EO) have encountered many groups of more than 10 people at the beaches who were from extended families, or were friends congregating.
“A good number didn’t wear masks even when reminded saying they were eating or drinking,” he added.
The Minister was concerned that “some complacency may be setting in” during a time when everyone must keep their guard up against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Noting that they will step up the enforcement, Mr Masagos urged everyone to continue observing the safe distancing measures during Phase 2.
“Our Safe Distancing Ambassadors and Enforcement Officers will continue to walk the ground to advise members of the public to adhere to these measures, and will not hesitate to issue fines on violations,” he asserted.
