24 social service offices completed
I refer to the article “Network of social service offices in Singapore completed” (Channel NewsAsia, Dec 15).
It states that “With the official opening of the latest social service office at Taman Jurong on Tuesday (Dec 15), all 24 offices are now up and running.
Introduced in 2013, such centres are meant to ensure efforts are better coordinated to deliver help more effectively to those in need.”
Cost of social service offices?
What is the annual cost of running the 24 social service offices, and other expenses to deliver assistance, relative to the total assistance disbursed under ComCare?
In this connection, according to the article “National database that will speed up aid delivery to needy to be ready next year” (Straits Times, May 31, 2014) – “Needy people who require help will get it more speedily when social service agencies start sharing a national database of information on aid recipients from the third quarter of next year.
Database cost $26.5m?
The tender to develop the system, called Social Service Net, was awarded to consultancy firm Accenture for $26.5 million, announced the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) on Friday.”
Costs of delivering social assistance?
Reading the above gave me a sense of “discomfort”.
Does it not perhaps indicate that we may have lost our sense of proportion in balancing the efficiency of the delivery of social assistance vis-a-vis the amount of financial assistance.
ComCare disbursed $116m vs ?m to deliver assistance?
ComCare only spent $116 million in financial assistance to needy families in FY2014. And we are spending $26.5 million on the database system?
What about the additional millions that are spent running the 24 new social service offices and the existing family service centres, Community Development Councils (CDCs), etc – which should be costed into the delivery of ComCare?
According to the Community Care Endowment Fund annual report for FY2014 – ComCare disbursed $116 million to 91,093 overall unique beneficiaries assisted.
$106 assistance per beneficiary?
Does this mean that the average assistance per beneficiary was only about $106 monthly ($116 million divided by 91,093 beneficiaries divided by 12 months)?
Doesn’t this amount seem kind of little?
In FY2010, ComCare disbursed about $60 million to 54,041 unique beneficiaries.
$93 assistance per beneficiary in 2010?
Does this mean that the average assistance per beneficiary was about $93 monthly ($60 million divided by 54,041 beneficiaries divided by 12 months)?
Assistance never increase?
Does this mean that the average assistance per beneficiary per month increased by only about $13 or 14 per cent (3.3 per cent per annum) in the four years from FY2010 to FY2014?
As inflation was about 14 per cent from 2010 to 2014 – does it mean that the average assistance per beneficiary per month only increased in tandem with inflation, i.e. no increase in the average quantum of assistance?
How much did the costs of delivering assistance increase relative to the amount of assistance?
Reciprocate trust with more help?
Since the people have given their trust and mandate – we should spend more to help Singaporeans.
Leong Sze Hian
