Profile of Safe Distancing Ambassadors Deployed across Singapore since April 2020 and Venues of Deployment
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Pritam Singh’s inquiry regarding the demographics of Safe Distancing Ambassadors (SDAs) and their deployment to pivoted nightlife establishments. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien responded that approximately 3,000 SDAs and Enforcement Officers from 17 agencies have been deployed daily since April 2020. Demographic data on gender and age are not readily available, and SDAs are not typically deployed to pivoted nightlife venues as they lack enforcement powers. Checks at these establishments are conducted by Enforcement Officers and Auxiliary Police, with deployment levels varying based on ground situations as previously detailed. The Minister concluded by referencing further information on these operations provided to Parliament on 26 July 2021 by the Minister of Home Affairs.
Transcript
13 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how many Safe Distancing Ambassadors (SDAs) have been deployed across Singapore since April 2020 on a monthly basis, broken down by gender; (b) of these, how many are between 20-30, 30-40, 40-50, 50-60, 60-70 and 70-80 years of age respectively; (c) whether SDAs are deployed to former nightlife establishments including KTV lounges that had pivoted to F&B outlets after March 2020; and (d) how extensive are the operations at these pivoted establishments.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Around 3,000 Safe Distancing Ambassadors (SDAs) and Enforcement Officers (EOs), currently from 17 Government agencies, have been deployed daily since April 2020 to remind members of the public and premises owners to comply with Safe Management Measures (SMMs). We do not have ready information on the gender and age bands of SDAs as they are engaged by multiple agencies for a range of safe distancing work.
SDAs do not have enforcement powers and are not typically deployed to undertake checks on nightlife establishments which have pivoted to F&B operations. Checks on pivoted nightlife establishments are instead undertaken by Enforcement Officers (EOs) and Auxiliary Police Officers, who are authorised to take enforcement action. The number of EOs deployed to undertake enforcement checks at pivoted nightlife establishments will vary based on the ground situation.
Details on the enforcement operations conducted at the pivoted nightlife establishments, including joint operations by the Police and EOs, were provided by the Minister of Home Affairs at the Parliament Sitting on 26 July 2021.