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At
AVA
Handling
closure of Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre |
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| The top
picture was taken at a supermarket when
vegetable supply was disrupted. The picture
below shows supply returning to normal
levels. |
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Crisis
management is not new to the Agri-Food & Veterinary
Authority (AVA), which handled the Nipah virus
outbreak in Singapore caused by imported pigs.
Hence when Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre (PPWC),
the site where 70% of Singapore’s vegetable
supply is traded and distributed, was closed for
15 days due to SARS, AVA was quick to take action.
Immediately after AVA’s CEO Dr Ngiam Tong
Tau received a call from Mr Peter Chan, Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of National Development,
who informed him of the sudden decision to shut
down the centre, key AVA officers met to strategise
and put into place a plan to minimise disruption
to the supply and distribution of vegetables in
Singapore.
As the national food safety authority, AVA had
to find alternative ways to ensure sufficient,
safe and continued supply of fresh vegetables.
However, resuming vegetable supplies was only part
of its responsibility. AVA also had to make sure
that no new SARS episodes would be able to disrupt
vegetable supply.
This included stepping up checks on drivers who
brought vegetables from across the Causeway and
on those trading vegetables at the secondary distribution
sites. AVA also had to ensure that SARS-preventive
measures were readily adopted upon the re-opening
of PPWC on 5 May.
Thanks to its swift and decisive action, the public
saw vegetable supplies return to above-normal levels
within three days. But what the public was aware
of was only the tip of the iceberg and not the
amount of organisation, coordination and hard work
that went behind
the scenes.
AVA had set up a crisis command centre to direct
problem solving and to monitor the situation. During
the crisis, it had to coordinate with the Singapore
Police Force, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority,
Housing and Development Board, Urban Redevelopment
Authority, Singapore Land Authority, Land Transport
Authority and the Ministry of Health.
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| The
winning team from NUH. |
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AVA’s
non-critical functions were scaled down and over
160 of its officers were mobilised.
Many officers worked over 12 hours every day throughout
the 15-day period without taking a break, not even
on Labour Day. Many were assigned to handle operations
that required them to work on round-the-clock shifts.
They had to quickly adapt to new procedures and
pick up new skills.
Amidst the operational frenzy, AVA did not forget
the people affected by the crisis. AVA officers
kept in close touch with PPWC traders (who had
been served the Home Quarantine Order) and their
representatives. The officers helped to retrieve
their belongings from PPWC and to enable them to
conduct their business by telephone and through
electronic means. AVA’s hotlines were also
helpful to traders and concerned members of the
public. |
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By
AVA
Next: At
CAAS
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