Singapore is widely expected to announce today it will go ahead with the city-state's first casino project as it prepares for fiercer competition in the booming travel industry.
Analysts said all signals point to the government giving the green light as Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍) addresses parliament to announce the cabinet's decision after months of emotional debate.
"It's pretty clear that they're going to go ahead. I think the green light is almost a certainty," said Seah Chiang Nee, the editor of the political website www.littlespeck.com, told reporters.
The casino issue has sparked a rare and highly-charged public debate in Singapore, where citizens traditionally toe the government line, with opponents waging a robust campaign.
Nearly 30,000 signatures have been gathered in an online petition against the casino in addition to thousands of online postings. Hundreds of letters supporting or opposing the casino have appeared in newspaper forum pages.
Opponents have mostly warned about the social costs, such as families being ruined as well as criminality.
The government had highlighted the casino's economic benefits, while assuring citizens that enough safeguards would be put in place to contain any social fallout.
Chia Teck Leng, a former casino addict now serving a 42-year jail term for defrauding banks of S$117 million (US$73 million) to cover gambling debts, wrote a commentary from prison supporting curbs against excessive punting.
To protect ordinary Singaporeans, he said a casino should be run like a private club, with a high entrance fee and VIP halls open only to foreigners. It should also be located in Sentosa, a resort island linked by a causeway to the city.
"The current group of Singaporean gamblers who could afford to regularly gamble overseas would not find this fee unreasonable or prohibitive," he said, suggesting a fee of S$10,000.
Casino operating hours should be limited in sections open to locals and they must be subject to gambling limits per table to stem their losses, he added in the commentary which was published in local newspapers Saturday.
Analysts have said the project -- which is envisioned to be part of a sprawling integrated resort and entertainment complex -- could contribute up to US$1.5 billion in revenues annually to the economy.
The entire complex will be one of the country's biggest projects in years. The government said it will play a key role in boosting tourism by enhancing the island's attractiveness as a travel destination.
The government has received at least 19 bids from some of the world's biggest gaming companies, including Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts, US gaming giant Harrah's Entertainment and Tabcorp of Australia to build the casino.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS