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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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