Covid-19: Govt agencies house healthy foreign workers at unused void decks, car parks, floating hotels

SINGAPORE — Some healthy foreign workers are being housed at temporary sites such as unused void decks, multi-storey car parks and, from next week, floating hotels, to stop the spread of Covid-19 among the population, government agencies said on Saturday (April 11).

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) said in a Facebook post that it is temporarily housing some healthy migrant workers at unused void decks and multi-storey car parks of different sites where projects are under construction. 

These are completed structures that are safe and liveable, HDB said.

“This will help to improve safe distancing by spreading out our workers, who are today living in workers’ quarters on site,” the agency added.

“The health and safety of everyone is of utmost importance. All premises are checked to ensure that the living condition is airy and comfortable, with conveniences such as toilets, charging points and Wi-Fi provided for all sites.”

HDB added that it has also catered meals for the workers according to their dietary requirements.

Safe distancing measures, such as no visitation to other levels and temperature screening twice a day, have been put in place, HDB said. 

The workers will be staying within the site and only designated workers are allowed to leave the site to buy essentials from nearby grocery stores.

Separately, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has partnered terminal operator PSA Singapore, Keppel Offshore & Marine, Bibby Maritime Limited and The Ascott Limited to bring in and manage two floating accommodations to temporarily house foreign workers.  

The floating accommodations will be used to house healthy foreign workers from next week, MPA said.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said that the workers’ well-being is the priority at these temporary dormitories.

She said that a number of friends had sent her a video showing foreign workers in makeshift accommodation that appears to be a multi-storey car park, and that it was “indeed disturbing”.

She said that HDB and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) officers followed up on the video as soon as they could.

“Besides the Interagency Taskforce that’s working round-the-clock to stabilise the situation at purpose-built dorms, a dedicated team will step up inspections at smaller dorms,” she said. “We already inspect them regularly, but with Covid-19, more resources are needed to ensure the workers’ well-being.”

Amid the Covid-19 situation, the MOM team is fighting the battle on many fronts — job security, business viability, wage or leave issues, manpower surplus or excess in different areas, loss of income by self-employed persons, concerns from employers about domestic workers and vice versa, Mrs Teo noted. 

“My team is stretched to the limit. Please bear with us if we take some time to respond to all of your queries, as we give priority to calls for help by vulnerable individuals.”