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Today,
17 Nov 04
The
maturity test
by Tor
Ching Li chingli@newstoday.com.sg
Debate on society's ability to cope with casino holds the key: Minister
AFTER months of heated public debate over the possibility of a casino
as part of Singapore's plans for a world-class resort on the Southern
Islands — first mooted by the Government in March — Senior Minister
of State for Trade and Industry Vivian Balakrishnan now wants to set
the discussion in a proper perspective.
"I think you can't have a debate trying to balance money on the one
hand versus values on the other. The two cannot be put on the same
weighing scales," said Dr Balakrishnan, also Acting Minister for Community
Development, Youth and Sports, at the sidelines of an event held at
the Istana yesterday. "The fundamental question is: Are we ready as
a society to let people make choices of their own, to take responsibility
for their actions and face the consequences? If we are indeed ready,
then we can consider taking more risk, in a sense, with new and innovative
radical plans."
In this light, a consultation portal on this Integrated Resort proposal
has been put up on the Feedback Unit's website since yesterday for
the public to post their opinions. A summary of the some 700 opinions
collated so far by the unit has also been made available on the website.
According to a survey of 903 Singaporeans commissioned by the unit
in September, most of the respondents agreed that operating a casino
would contribute to Singapore's economic and tourism development.
Indeed, Dr Balakrishnan cited the $1.3 billion a year — or $3.5 million
a day — that the Ministry of Finance collects on gaming duties.
However, respondents' opinion was divided over whether the benefits
of setting up a casino will outweigh the social costs. Dr Balakrishnan,
however, feels that most Singaporeans have no problems with having
a casino here. "We have to move on, we have to be prepared to be open-minded,
to be flexible and to take some risk if we are to survive, going forward,"
he added. Dr Balakrishnan stressed that the idea of having a casino
in Singapore is not "a move of desperation", and that the Government
had already decided to set aside up to $2 billion in a tourism development
fund to be used over the next 10 years to invest in world-class infrastructure
and tourism products for Singapore. "So it's not as if the integrated
resort is the be all and end all of our tourism strategy. It is just
one option," said Dr Balakrishnan.
Over the next few weeks, the Government will be engaging "between
six to 12" potential investors to explore Singapore's plans for the
"world's most glamourous, safest and most wonderful place to entertain
yourself" — with clear limitations set by the Government. Only investors
with "interesting" and "compelling" concepts will be asked to submit
a formal proposal in the next few months. "Whatever additional entertainment
facilities we provide must not be allowed to erode our position as
a trusted financial centre in the world," said Dr Balakrishnan. .
He also stated that the casino and gaming facilities will be just
"a very small component of a much larger whole" — that is, of a world-class,
iconic integrated resort comprising fine dining, themed entertainment,
international shows, high-end retail and convention facilities. "We
are not interested in a gambling hall or in a little, pokey gambling
den," he said, adding that plans for the resort would be dropped if
the proposals are not deemed of "sufficient economic benefit" or if
Singapore society is not deemed mature enough.
Dr Balakrishnan acknowledged that while the Government has "no ideological
opposition" to gambling, there is a "very, very small segment" of
Singapore society for whom gambling is an addiction. Gamblers must
be prepared to spend money to entertain themselves, not treat gambling
as a "means of earning money or making a living", he said.
Regardless of the outcome of the feedback exercise, Dr Balakrishnan
said such public debate is "useful because it helps us learn as a
society how to deal with difficult and potentially divisive issues
in a mature way". "This issue of an integrated resort with a casino
is just one such example, but there are many more challenges and issues
which we have to face in the future for which there will be no easy
answer and no consensus answer," said Dr Balakrishnan. |
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