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Today, 13 Mar 04

Place your bets on a casino
by Ching Wern
chingwern@newstoday.com.sg

Sentosa and Southern Islands to become huge resort: BG Yeo Lee

The idea has been mooted many times over the last 20 years, but each time the Government's response has been stark: No. . Yesterday, the position shifted sharply. . A casino, the policy-makers now believe, could help Singapore become the "London of Asia", a vibrant cosmopolitan city that will rank among the top in Asia.

Trade and Industry Minister George Yeo yesterday told Parliament the Government plans to turn Sentosa and the Southern Islands into an iconic international resort and residential complex. . The 500-hectare development will have all the features expected of a resort — beautiful beaches, hotels, private homes, marinas, sports complexes, convention centres, health spas, retail and food outlets, venues for international shows and theme attractions. And possibly a casino.

But the nanny state is not withdrawing completely. "Of course," Mr Yeo added, "if we decide to have a casino, we will need to put in place control measures to limit access by Singaporeans and make sure there is no organised crime."

Mr Darrell Metzger, CEO of Sentosa Leisure, told Today the casino would most likely be on one of the Southern Islands as the plans for Sentosa have been mostly laid out. . Explaining the concept, Mr Yeo told the House international consultants are helping to map out the possibilities, with Atlantis, an international resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, as one model that can be considered. But what takes shape will, he said, be "uniquely Singapore", quoting the Singapore Tourism Board's recently unveiled new catch-phrase.

Over the years, the Government has maintained that while a casino would boost tourism, it could also fan social ills such as prostitution, drug-trafficking and gangsterism. . Significantly, in 1991, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong reportedly said that as long as he was Prime Minister, there would be no casino in Singapore. Mr Goh is expected to hand over the premiership sometime this year to Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Singaporeans whose gambling urge cannot be sated by the considerable offerings of Singapore Pools can, the government has many times said, head for the casinos in Malaysia or Indonesia.

"There are many casinos not far from our shores… all you need to do is take a ferry," Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said in 2001. But neighbouring countries are upping the ante in the tourism game. Last year, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra proposed a casino in Pattaya, and this week he launched his brainchild - a novel card membership that gives easy access to Thailand for a one-time payment of US$25,000. . Yesterday, Mr Yeo said Singapore's resort island complex would be "an international facility separate from Singapore but accessible to all Singaporeans, with more relaxed rules to attract international talent, visitors and investments".

On Wednesday, DPM Lee told Parliament the Government's new approach is to balance the risks and potential problems an activity might pose to society at large against the overriding need to encourage individual enterprise.

MPs last night told TODAY the shift in the Government's stand is significant, but some are concerned about the implications. "I'm surprised, given the government's stand all these years. This signifies the change in the Government's mindset towards enterprise.

But it will be interesting to see how the Government will balance the economic benefit of a casino against the obvious social drawbacks," said Mr Tan Soo Khoon, MP for East Coast. "There will be obvious economic gains from tourism and the buzz. But the more conservative would have their concerns, as gambling is one of the biggest vices. If the state runs the casino and uses the money made for causes like education and sports, then why not? But if a few private individuals come in and make the money, it's not as good," said Mr Chandra Mohan, Nominated MP. He added: "You can see that they are really reviewing practically everything in Singapore - except politics and the ruling party."

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