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 For
the past three months, RAS has achieved many firsts, marking a few
milestones. In conjunction with World Toilet Day on 19 November, RAS
launched its unprecedented campaign, the LOO Campaign 2008-2010, which aims
to achieve the 2010 goal of sprucing up 70% public toilets to a minimum
3-star Happy Toilet rating. RAS
successfully garnered support from more than 20 organisations to sign our
LOO Pledge, a pledge for toilet owners, operators, contractors, cleaners
and users to pledge their commitment to toilet cleanliness.
Before the launch of the campaign, RAS
co-chaired its first Inter Agencies Working Committee (IAWC) meeting with
the World Toilet Organisation on 6 October. Representatives from various
government and private organisations were present to share their feedback.
The purpose of the IAWC is to explore toilet-related problems from various
perspectives and approach them with the right remedies.
RAS conducted its first Certified
Eco-Assessor (CEA) training session from the 10 to 11 November for eight
participants, either housewives or retirees, to help create job
opportunities for this group of people. The CEAs
will play a vital role not only in the LOO Campaign but also toward the
sustainability of clean public toilets for years to come. Apart from the
CEA training, officers from the National Parks Board were also trained as
Volunteer Eco-Assessor (VEA) to help promote toilet cleanliness in their
parks.
Our
Outreach and Education team also conducted its first potty training
workshop at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital on 15
November for parents. Since 2005, our school outreach programmes have been
in the limelight and well-accepted by schools and DPS International School
has become the first international school to participate in our Happy
Toilet School Education Programme. RAS is confident that it will soon
extend its outreach to more schools and tertiary institutions in the near
future.
With the coming of a new year, I hope the
LOO Campaign will see the beginning of a new era of improved toilet
standards in Singapore
and more organisations coming forth to join our Happy Toilet Programme. The
goal of the LOO Campaign can only be actualised with everyone’s
continued support and contributions. As the “LOO” in “LOO
Campaign” does not only refer to the toilet but it is also an acronym
for “Let’s Observe Ourselves”, I would like to urge
everyone to start paying more attention and adopting good toilet etiquette
to ensure the cleanliness of public toilets. By doing so, we will be a step
closer to becoming a gracious society.
Ms Tan Puay Hoon
President
Restroom Association (Singapore)
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