A week into the "Goodness Gracious Me!" project and the five food courts have reported a marked improvement in diner cleanliness.
The project was launched as a means of encouraging Singaporeans to exhibit more courteous behaviour to their fellow diners, and it seems that the move has steadily been gaining momentum.
As a member of The Straits Times' Mop Squad, I can bear witness to that.
The Straits Times' Mop Squad
ST Photo: Caroline Chia
Five of us have been diligently staking out the designated Kopitiam outlets so as to keep track of progress. It's not been easy, dodging Kopitiam regulars who eye us suspiciously as we make our rounds and having to deal with diners who run away from us everytime we nab them not clearing their trays. The speed at which they take to their heels - you'd almost think we were carrying the plague.
That said, the results have been encouraging as the week progressed.
Of course there have been incidences of the odd diner who, when caught doing the dirty (by leaving his tray behind) defended himself with the strangest of excuses: "My son has PSLE and needs to go home as soon as possible to study" as well as "My table doesn't have a sticker!" ranking among the more classic examples.
But the cleaners at the outlets are heartened to witness a more concerted effort by diners to try to keep their dining area as tidy as possible, even if they do not always bring back their trays.
Cleaners at the Hougang Mall and Plaza Singapura outlets say that they have noticed more Singaporeans wrapping up their leftover bones and shells in tissue and placing them at the side of their plates at the end of the meal, rather than leaving them on full display for the next person who sits down at the table.
Diners the mop squad spoke to say are optimistic about the eventual outcome of the project. It will take time for the project to yield its full potential, they added, as it requires a change of mindset. Most also said that diners themselves need to put in effort as well so as to create a ripple effect, where if one diner sees another picking up after himself, he would be ashamed to leave a huge mess behind.
The project has also spurred some schools into wanting to kick-off similar initiatives in their canteens. While the 'Goodness Gracious Me!" project is currently running at Kopitiam outlets at Plaza Singapura, Hougang Mall, Bukit Panjang Plaza, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Changi Terminal Three, there are plans to expand the initiative islandwide under the umbrella of the Singapore Kindness Movement.
In the meantime, the Mop Squad will continue skirting around the tables of suspicious diners to bring you weekly updates on how the Kopitiams are faring.
So remember, your mess is not okay but if you forget to clear your tray, you just might be the Mop Squad's next target!