Make travelling safer for everyone alike
The following letter was published in The New Paper on 21 May 2009.
Make travelling safer for everyone alike
AS A Singaporean I must strongly voice my anger and disgust at the sad news that four more workers have been killed in a road accident, 'More deaths to come at back of other lorries?' (The New Paper, 19 May).
I feel the pain and anguish of the workers who met with this unfortunate accident. My deepest sympathies to their families who have lost their fathers, sons, brothers or uncles.
The question is: Do we allow our own children and office workers to travel to schools and offices in open top buses?
Do we allow our people to travel in trains without doors? Do we want to be transported to our destinations like animals?
Are these foreign workers treated shabbily because they are less worthy and dispensable? Will we take action only if it involves our own valuable citizens?
The idea of travelling in receptacles without roofs is seen only in roller-coaster rides or other speed thrill-seeking rides. Even those have safety considerations.
But there were no safety considerations for these poor souls who have sacrificed their lives in the hope of finding a better life in another country.
They and their families may have thought highly of our standards of living and security. That's why they chose to work here. But we have let them down.
This is one tragic example. There are many other cases.
Just look at the way we house them.
We need foreign workers to do the dirty job, but do not want them to enjoy the same standard of living like us.
How many more must die before the authorities take concrete and responsible action to make working and travelling to work safer for everyone alike, local or foreign?
No more playing with people's lives.
It must stop. I urge a ban on transporting workers in lorries.
FROM READER STEPHEN GEORGE DE SOUZA
Make travelling safer for everyone alike
AS A Singaporean I must strongly voice my anger and disgust at the sad news that four more workers have been killed in a road accident, 'More deaths to come at back of other lorries?' (The New Paper, 19 May).
I feel the pain and anguish of the workers who met with this unfortunate accident. My deepest sympathies to their families who have lost their fathers, sons, brothers or uncles.
The question is: Do we allow our own children and office workers to travel to schools and offices in open top buses?
Do we allow our people to travel in trains without doors? Do we want to be transported to our destinations like animals?
Are these foreign workers treated shabbily because they are less worthy and dispensable? Will we take action only if it involves our own valuable citizens?
The idea of travelling in receptacles without roofs is seen only in roller-coaster rides or other speed thrill-seeking rides. Even those have safety considerations.
But there were no safety considerations for these poor souls who have sacrificed their lives in the hope of finding a better life in another country.
They and their families may have thought highly of our standards of living and security. That's why they chose to work here. But we have let them down.
This is one tragic example. There are many other cases.
Just look at the way we house them.
We need foreign workers to do the dirty job, but do not want them to enjoy the same standard of living like us.
How many more must die before the authorities take concrete and responsible action to make working and travelling to work safer for everyone alike, local or foreign?
No more playing with people's lives.
It must stop. I urge a ban on transporting workers in lorries.
FROM READER STEPHEN GEORGE DE SOUZA
Comments
Post a Comment