Telecommunication Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Bill

Bill No. 23/1973

Read the first time on 11th July 1973.
An Act to amend the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore Act, 1972 (No. 2 of 1972).
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows: —
Short title and commencement
1.  This Act may be cited as the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore (Amendment) Act, 1973 and shall be deemed to have come into operation on the 1st day of April 1972.
New-section 11A
2.  The Telecommunication Authority of Singapore Act, 1972 (hereinafter in this Act referred to as “the principal Act”) is hereby amended by inserting immediately after section 11 thereof the following new section: —
Appointment of committees and delegation of powers
11A.—(1)  The Authority may, in its discretion, appoint from among its own members or other persons who are not members of the Authority such number of committees as it thinks fit consisting of members or other persons or members and other persons for purposes which, in the opinion of the Authority, would be better regulated and managed by means of such committees.
(2)  The Authority may, subject to such conditions or restrictions as it thinks fit, delegate to any such committee or the Chairman or the General Manager all or any of the powers, functions and duties by this Act vested in the Authority, and a power, function or duty so delegated may be exercised or performed by such committee or the Chairman or the General Manager, as the case may be, in the name and on behalf of the Authority.
(3)  The Authority may, subject to such conditions or restrictions as it thinks fit, delegate to an officer or servant thereof all or any of the Authority’s powers, functions and duties by this Act vested in the Authority; and a power, function or duty so delegated may be exercised or performed by such officer or servant in the name and on behalf of the Authority.
(4)  The Authority may continue to exercise a power conferred upon it, or perform a function or duty under this Act, notwithstanding the delegation of such power, function or duty under the provisions of this section.”.
Amendment of section 13
3.  Section 13 of the principal Act is hereby amended —
(a)by inserting immediately after subsection (1) thereof the following new subsection: —
(2)  The termination of appointment, dismissal and disciplinary control of all officers and servants of the Authority shall be vested in the Authority.”; and
(b)by renumbering subsections (2) and (3) thereof as subsections (3) and (4) respectively.
New sections 13A and 13B
4.  The principal Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately after section 13 thereof the following new sections: —
Continuation and completion of disciplinary proceedings
13A.  Where on the date of the coming into operation of this Act disciplinary proceedings which were instituted before the date of the coming into operation of this Act against a person who is transferred to the service of the Authority under section 43 of this Act have not been completed, such disciplinary proceedings —
(a)shall be deemed to have been instituted; and
(b)may be continued and completed by the Authority,
under this Act.
Interdiction of officer or servant of the Authority
13B.  Notwithstanding anything contained in any other written law —
(a)if the Authority considers that the public interest requires that an officer or a servant of the Authority should cease to exercise the powers and functions of his office, the Authority may interdict the officer or servant from the exercise of the powers and functions of his office or suspend him from work pending the completion of disciplinary proceedings against him under this Act;
(b)a person who has been interdicted or suspended from work under paragraph (a) of this section may be allowed to receive such portion of the emoluments of his office for such period during the period of interdiction or suspension as the Authority shall think fit, or the Authority may order the withholding of his total emoluments;
(c)if the disciplinary proceedings against such person do not result in the dismissal or other punishment of such person, he shall be entitled to the full amount of the emoluments which he would have received had he not been interdicted;
(d)if the disciplinary proceedings against such person do not result in his dismissal, such person may be refunded such portion of the emoluments withheld as a result of his interdiction or suspension, as the Authority shall think fit.
Disciplinary powers of the Authority in respect of persons transferred to its service under section 43
13C.—(1)  For the removal of doubts it is hereby declared that where a person who is transferred to the service of the Authority pursuant to section 43 of this Act has been guilty of misconduct or neglect of duty whilst he was in the employment of the Government which would render him liable to be reprimanded, reduced in rank, retired, dismissed or punished in some other manner by the Public Service Commission or other person acting under the authority or direction of the Public Service Commission, such misconduct or neglect of duty shall be deemed to have taken place whilst such person was employed by the Authority.
(2)  The Authority may reprimand, reduce in rank, retire, dismiss or punish in some other manner such person for such misconduct or neglect of duty as if the misconduct or neglect of duty took place whilst such person was employed by the Authority.”.
Amendment of section 82
5.  Section 82 of the principal Act is hereby amended —
(a)by deleting the word “and” appearing at the end of paragraph (h) thereof;
(b)by deleting the full-stop appearing at the end of paragraph (i) thereof and substituting therefor the expression “; and”; and
(c)by inserting immediately after paragraph (i) thereof the following new paragraph: —
(j)the conduct and discipline of all officers and servants of the Authority.”.