The New AWARE Exco Speaks...

Today ran this story on 20 April 2009:

The new Exco speaks...

On former Aware president Constance Singam who has quit as adviser of the society:

Acknowledging Ms Singam’s concerns listed in her resignation email, Ms Josie Lau said: “Constance has a wealth of ideas and perspectives and her resignation is a loss to Aware and women in Singapore.”

On Ms Braema Mathi, two-time Aware president, who was told she was no longer in charge of producing a key report on discrimination against women in Singapore:

Ms Ong said Ms Mathi had failed to submit a draft report which, according to the latest annual report prepared by the previous Exco, had been due since March last year.

“At the first exco meeting (on April 15), we had asked her for the report. To date, she has not submitted it.”

Ms Mathi, who has been on a hectic travelling schedule, could not be reached for comment. When contacted by Today, Ms Singam clarified that it was a misprint — the deadline should have been “March 2009”. She said she would communicate the error to the Exco today. “Yes, (the misunderstanding) shouldn’t have happened ... but they never asked me about it,” she said.

On Ms Claire Nazar, who quit as president less than two weeks after she was elected:

Noting that Ms Nazar’s email stated that her resignation was “purely out of personal reasons”, Ms Lau said she was surprised at her assertions that she did so because the Exco “were not going to follow in my direction”.

“The president is there to provide leadership and guidance but the Exco actually helps to set the direction,” said Ms Lau.

Instead of quitting in a huff, Ms Nazar should have tried to iron out the differences she had with the rest of the Exco, said Aware honorary treasurer Maureen Ong.