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Source:
www.mha.gov.sg |
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The Second Reading Speech for the
CISCO (Dissolution) Bill 2005 |
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Speech by Mr Wong Kan Seng,
Minister for Home Affairs, 25 January 2005 |
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Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be
now read a second time." |
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Background |
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Sir, the Commercial and Industrial Security
Corporation or CISCO was formed in 1972 as a statutory board under MHA to
provide, on a commercial basis, guards and security services to the private
and public sectors. |
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In this way, regular police officers could be
freed up, to focus on core duties relating to the preservation of public peace
and order. |
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Developments in the armed security industry |
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Since CISCO's formation in 1972, the armed
security industry in Singapore has changed in many ways. CISCO has evolved,
diversifying from its origins as an armed security provider to become a
"one-stop shop" for a full range of physical, IT and data security services. |
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Some of the other Auxiliary Police Forces (or APFs)
have also developed to become sophisticated and reliable security providers. |
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These changes in the industry, coupled with the
demand for armed security services arising from the current security climate,
prompted MHA to introduce competition into the armed security sector. |
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A new framework for the armed security industry
was put in place with the introduction of the Police Force Act 2004 in October
last year. |
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As members would be aware, a key aspect of this
new framework is the provision to allow the APFs in Singapore to now
compete for armed security services islandwide, as long as they meet the
necessary requirements set by SPF. |
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Through regulated and open competition, the
standards and performance of the APFs in Singapore would be raised, so that
they could better support the SPF in the provision of armed security service
to buildings and premises to raise the overall security of Singapore. |
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Reasons for corporatising CISCO |
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With these changes, it is no longer tenable for
CISCO to remain as a statutory board under MHA competing with the other
commercial APFs. |
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In June last year, I informed this House that with
the introduction of competition into the armed security industry in Singapore,
the government would be corporatising CISCO. |
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Sir, with its corporatisation, CISCO will be freed
from the various obligations and restrictions placed upon it as a statutory
board under MHA. It need not follow the various directives that are meant for
government departments and statutory boards, which might have hampered its
ability to provide competitive services. |
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Similarly, the other APFs can also be assured that
CISCO will not enjoy any preferential treatment. For example, CISCO will no
longer share the same insignia as Police and upon corporatisation, CISCO's
auxiliary police officers will no longer don the same uniform as the Police.
Our intention is to create a level playing field for all players in the armed
security industry. |
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More..... |
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Source:
Ministry of Home Affairs Press Release 25
Jan 2005 |
Government corporatising statutory board CISCO
