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'Death
Row' outside Changi Prison
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stumps bear testimony to their recent tragic end. There are about
seven other living trees still standing nearby and apparently waiting
for the axe. These are marked clearly with red-and-white tapes tied
around their trunks. (See other photos and
map) Reason for chopping? As I found out easily enough by enquiring around the business establishments along the road, the reason is road widening. But is it unavoidable? As a concerned citizen, I would like the Land Transport Authority to explain what were the reasons for widening the road in the first place and were they so critical as to justify sacrificing these old trees. What were the problems encountered along Upper Changi Road North? Road congestions? Spates of accidents? It is not difficult to understand that underlying most road problems (especially road accidents) are people, i.e. the attitude and manner in which our motorists use our roads. Slow down in small roads, go faster only on bigger roads, plan optimum route to save time, exercise patience, be courteous, drive at safe speed at all times, give way to pedestrians and cyclists, etc. - these are just some important road practices which will make our road more friendly and safe, and should be reinforced continuously through education. It is education, not necessarily road widening, which should be considered as the first approach in solving road problems. |
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practice of road widening cannot be over-zealously applied. Ultimately,
in a small country like ours, how much of road widening can we afford
to have? The important issue that needs to be addressed is our road
carrying capacity. How far can we go? This is truly a tragic and ironic Clean & Green Week for year 2003. Much more ironic considering that there are a few old |
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living trees waitng for the axe, as if on a 'death row' outside Changi
Prison, while the rest of the nation is 'celebrating trees' elsewhere
on the island. If there is any way in which these trees can be saved, then every effort should be made to explore this possibility. The foundation, of the very notion that old living trees are cherished as a symbol of our own permanence in our home country, should never be eroded if this is what we hope to endear in our future generations. |