Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Cosharing of Hawker Stalls

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Cosharing of Hawker Stalls by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of the first and second generation hawkers ageing and increasingly unable to work for long hours, whether the Ministry will consider some form of co-sharing of hawker stalls to optimise the provision of food services to residents.

Answer:

1 The National Environment Agency has introduced the Joint Operator Scheme since 2012 which allows eligible stallholders to appoint joint operators to share operating hours at their stalls. Stallholders are still required to personally operate at their stalls, and ensure no overlap in operating hours with their joint operators, to prevent the possibility of subletting. This scheme allows hawkers to enjoy flexibility in their working hours while enhancing the vibrancy of markets and hawker centres at the same time. Eligible stallholders can also appoint their family members as nominees to operate the stalls on their behalf due to old age.