Two years later, still no light for dark corridor

MY HUSBAND and I moved into Block 642, Rowell Road, in September 2004. We noticed that the approximately 5m-long corridor leading to our flat, the only unit there, was not lit. The corridor has a corner large enough to hide an adult and, without proper lighting, my husband was concerned for the family's safety should we come home at night unescorted.

So I made a call to the Jalan Besar Town Council to express our concern, explaining that the one light bulb at the lift landing could not illuminate the corridor which was at a sharp angle away from the lifts.

The staff said that she would note my concern, that I was not the first one to request more lighting there, and that there were plans to increase the number of lights. To top it off, she said that the wiring of all these lights would take one year to be completed. This was in October 2004.

Forward to October 2005. I called to ask where the lights were as there was no indication of any works there the entire year. I was told this time that it would take another year to put in a light bulb in my corridor. It seems absurd that in efficient Singapore it takes a competent body such as a town council two years to put in a light bulb.

October 2006 came and went, with the most dramatic addition to our block being a fresh coat of white and orange paint just before the period of the general election. Still, no sign of a light bulb.

Last December and again a week ago, shoes belonging to my husband and a guest went missing even though our main door was open and guests were visible from the outside of our flat. These incidents happened at night, and within minutes of my husband and our guest taking off their shoes.

We believe the absence of lights added to the temptation as the culprits thought they could get away with the thefts easily.

Would the town council please respond to this fourth request to light our corridor?



Sharon Ismail (Ms)