The current COVID-19 situation has impacted Singapore and the lives of Singaporeans in many ways. This also includes our cleaning industry, which has been in overdrive. Cleaning service-providers have seen increased demand for stepped-up cleaning from service-buyers as well as disinfection services.
But the COVID-19 situation presents not just threats, but also opportunities for our industry. While our workers are working extra hard and stress level has increased, the high level of public consciousness on public cleanliness and hygiene is also an opportunity for the cleaning industry. It is times like this that we should work even closer together to further uplift the standards and practice of cleaning in Singapore, and strengthen our reputation as a clean, green and sustainable city. I am happy to note that despite the challenges of the cleaning industry like the manpower crunch, EMAS and its members have risen to the COVID-19 challenge. NEA is also doing our part. We are acutely aware of the challenges on the ground and are leaning forward to support the industry and our workers as best we can.
The current situation also reinforces the need for us, as an industry, to double down and sustain many of the initiatives that have been rolled out for the Environmental Services (ES) industry, to upgrade skills, improve productivity, promote enterprise growth and create better jobs for the ES sector. The Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map (ES ITM), launched by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, on 11 Dec 2017, maps out the strategies and initiatives to ensure a vibrant, sustainable and professional ES industry. The transformation is well on the way, and the industry has responded well and is making good, broad-based progress on many fronts.
EMAS has demonstrated its commitment when it successfully obtained the Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) funding from Enterprise Singapore, so it can spearhead enterprise-level development initiatives and industry-level collaboration in achieving the objectives of the ESITM.
EMAS also continues to partner NEA to organise the Singapore Pavilion for Cleaning at the biennial CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESG) in June 2021. We look forward to another successful partnership with EMAS at the CESG conference and exhibition event.
I congratulate EMAS for the publication of its 2020/2021 Members Directory and look forward to continue working closely with EMAS as we, together, strive to sustain Singapore as a clean, green and liveable city.
Mr Tan Meng Dui
Chief Executive Officer, National Environment Agency