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East Coast GRC steps up its push to go green

This article is more than 12 months old

Residents of East Coast GRC can look forward to more green spaces and opportunities to take part in initiatives that protect the environment, under a new plan launched yesterday.

The East Coast Sustainability and Greenery Plan aims to create more platforms to educate residents on environmental issues, and encourage those who are passionate about the environment to take action.

Efforts to inject greenery into community spaces and the built environment will be stepped up.

Unveiling the blueprint on Facebook Live yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, who is also an MP for East Coast GRC, said it is important for East Coast GRC - an area with rich biodiversity, beaches and coastal areas - to play its part in preserving the environment.

He said the East Coast GRC team aims to partner residents in coming up with ideas for new green initiatives in the constituency, and he is glad to see many already stepping forward to do so.

"This is very much in the spirit of Singapore Together, where people with similar ideas come together and do something to realise those ideas."

The Singapore Together movement was started by Mr Heng and his team of fourth-generation political leaders last year to give citizens a bigger say in policy-making.

One idea that has taken root is the Green Ambassador scheme, which kicked off last month. It now has a pilot batch of 20 ambassadors, with plans in place to train up to 300 ambassadors over three years.

Residents at an earlier East Coast Conversations dialogue had mooted the idea to get volunteers as ambassadors to boost awareness of environmental issues in the community.

At the launch, other East Coast GRC MPs - Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Maliki Osman, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and for National Development Tan Kiat How, Ms Jessica Tan and Ms Cheryl Chan - elaborated on the sustainability and greenery plan.

They said the plan is to grow the number of community gardens beyond the existing 130, and offer opportunities to document, conserve and enhance natural habitats in East Coast.

Environment