Our
decision in 2011 to apply for observer status in the Arctic Council
took many people by surprise, as the connection between Singapore and
the Arctic region is not readily apparent.
...We are driven by
our desire to deepen our understanding of the Arctic as global warming
and rising sea levels will have a profound and direct impact on
low-lying Singapore.
As a low-lying coastal nation, Singapore
is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Much of
Singapore lies only 15m above sea level, while 30 per cent of the island
is less than 5m above sea level.
If global temperatures
continue to rise, many parts of Singapore could eventually be submerged
under the water. Singapore has started making preparations to adapt to
the impact of a rise in sea levels. For example, Nicoll Drive, which
runs for 1km along Changi Beach, is being raised by up to 0.8m. In 2011,
the minimum height for land reclamation projects was raised from 3-4 m
above the mean sea level. At the same time, a warmer Arctic will result
in the opening of new water channels, which will significantly reduce
travel time between Asia and Europe by two or three weeks.
The
possibility of the Arctic sea routes becoming a seasonal complement to
traditional trade routes therefore presents Singapore with both
challenges as well as opportunities.
On the one hand, Singapore
has one of the world’s busiest ports and these new routes are likely to
change maritime transportation patterns.
At the same time, our
marine industry has built up strong credentials in sectors such as
shipbuilding and repair, offshore engineering, and marine support
services, and we are well-placed to provide enabling technology for
Arctic development.
Some of our companies are developing Arctic
capabilities to leverage on the economic potential of the region. For
example, Keppel Corporation has constructed a number of ice-class
vessels, including the first icebreakers built in Asia in 2008, and is
now working with oil majors and drilling contractors to develop the
world’s first Arctic-grade, environmentally-friendly “green” rig.
If countries do not look at the possible global challenges that may
emerge 30 to 50 years down the road, their eventual preparations would
be inadequate to deal with these challenges when they do strike.
One of Singapore’s key strengths is our ability to scan the horizon and
start preparing solutions to these challenges, sometimes 50 to a
hundred years before they surface. If we lose this important survival
instinct, we will become history when the challenges strike us in our
face.
Excerpt of interview of Sam Tan by TODAY
--------------------------
Sam Tan has personally attended the Conference of Parliamentarians of
the Arctic Region (CPAR) in 2012 in Akureyri, Iceland and 2014 in
Whitehorse, Canada; the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik, Iceland in
2013 and 2014; the Arctic Frontiers Conference in Tromso, Norway in 2015
and January 2016, and most recently the Arctic Circle Greenland Forum
in Nuuk last month.
http://www.todayonline.com/world/why-icy-arctic-matters-spore
Do you know that housing grants are actually very generous?
Up to 80k for the lowest income group if you apply for a BTO in a non-mature estate.
Now you know why a 2-room flexi flat can cost just a few thousand dollars.
A 2-room flexi flat at West Plains@Bukit Batok (non-mature estate), for example, costs from just $5k with grants.
No mistake.
What most people also do not realize is that these housing grants are
more than just a discount on the price of the BTO that you buy. They
become money in your CPF.
http://www.hdb.gov.sg/cs/infoweb/residential/buying-a-flat/new/first-timer-applicants
http://esales.hdb.gov.sg/hdbvsf/eampu02p.nsf/0/16FEBBTO_page_2402/$FILE/about0.html
Prime Minister Lee and Mrs. Lee, honored guests who are here tonight, Nancy and I welcome you to the White House.
It was a great pleasure for me today to renew a valued friendship with
Prime Minister Lee. I first met the Prime Minister on a trip that I took
on behest of President Nixon. And when we stopped in Singapore, I was
amazed at the dynamic society that I found there. How could a country
with such a small area and few resources be making such strides? And
then I met Prime Minister Lee, and my questions were answered. He is a
man of principle and vision. His leadership has provided the vigorous
and creative people of Singapore the means to move ahead, to achieve,
and to build.
Singapore's experience has been in stark contrast
to developing countries where political power has been derived from
terror and brute force. Instead, Prime Minister Lee's authority has
rested on his capacity to mold the opinion of his countrymen and build
consensus. He has used his position to free the talents and energy of
his people so they could be channeled into constructive,
society-building activity. Fortunately, Prime Minister Lee's sound
judgment does not stop at the water's edge. American leaders, including
this one, have frequently benefited from his wise counsel. Our meetings
today were no less beneficial. Our exchange was cordial, reflecting a
mutuality of interests and a harmony of views.
Mr. Prime
Minister, I want to express my personal admiration for your recognition
of the contributions America makes to world peace. As the world's most
powerful democracy, our people carry a heavy military and diplomatic
burden and often thankless task. But you have demonstrated an
appreciation and understanding that makes it all worthwhile. This spirit
of mutual respect was evidenced in our meetings today. None of this
should be reason for surprise. Our two peoples may, at first glance,
seem worlds apart, both in geographic location and culture; but a closer
look reveals that Singapore and the United States are nations made up
of hardworking immigrants and their descendants, who came to a new
homeland to improve their lot and build a decent life for their
families. We're both democratic nations committed to peace and to the
preservation of human liberty. And these bonds are being bolstered by
continued cultural and educational exchanges and, of course, the many
commercial ties between our peoples.
Mr. Prime Minister, we're
aware that your people are now faced with severe challenges brought on
by international economic conditions. The United States faced economic
adversity not long ago; tough decisions had to be made. It's heartening
to see that you're moving forward, Mr. Prime Minister, with an eye
toward the long-run well-being of your people. I understand full well
this is not always easy to do, but I want you and your citizens to know
that the people of the United States want you to succeed and prosper.
Our meetings today confirmed again the people of Singapore, as we say
here, are our kind of people.
So, would you all join me in toasting the people of Singapore and the distinguished leader, Prime Minister Lee, and Mrs. Lee.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=37878
In
making his toast, then President Richard Nixon described founding Prime
Minister Lee Kuan Yew as a WORLD STATESMAN OF THE FIRST RANK who:
(1) ran Singapore well "with respect for the great traditions of FREEDOM" and
(2) helped US to "develop the kinds of policies that will maintain a
world in which freedom can survive for larger countries like the United
States and for smaller countries like Singapore".
White House State Dinner in honour of Lee Kuan Yew on April 10 1973.
Founding
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was hosted to three White House State
Dinners during his time as Prime Minister - 1973, 1975 and 1985.
Four things about the White House State Dinners
1. ORIGIN
When it was first initiated in the 19th century, the term “State
Dinner” was used to denote any affair that honoured the President’s
Cabinet, Congress, or other dignitaries.
In 1874, President
Ulysses S Grant changed the meaning of the term when he welcomed King
David Kalakua of the Kingdom of Hawaii. These days, state dinners are
grand affairs hosted to welcome a visiting head of state or government.
2. INTENSE PREPARATIONS
A state dinner requires months of preparation, sometimes a minimum of
six months. Thorough research is conducted to celebrate the guest of
honour’s country, culture, and preferences. Hallmarks of American
culture are also chosen, often by the First Lady, and these
considerations are translated — with approval by the First Lady, State
Department and White House Social Secretary — into invitations, menus,
guest lists and entertainment.
White House state dinners are
not only lavish affairs, they’re “bigger than the biggest weddings,”
former White House chef Walter Scheib once said. “State dinners (are)
not just an opportunity to show off American hospitality,” he wrote in
his book White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen.
“They are a chance to parade American food and wine before the world.”
3. RARE EVENT
Under President Obama, State Dinners have become quite rare. He and the
First Lady have held only 11 state dinners thus far, beginning with
then-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2009. The Obama’s most
recent State Dinner was an unusual joint affair: With the five leaders
of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Among
modern-day US presidents, Mr Harry Truman was said to have held the
least number of State Dinners — just six in about eight years, while Mr
Lyndon Johnson’s record of 54 State Dinners in 62 months has yet to be
surpassed.
4. HIGH COSTS
The general price tag of a
State Dinner is US$500,000 (S$687,736.20). In 2015, it cost about
US$590,000 (S$810,877.94) to remodel the White House’s State Dining
Room, the venue for the event.
But costs can often vary.
According to the Washington Examiner, the Obama White House reportedly
spent nearly US$1 million on the State Dinner for Mexico’s
then-president Felipe Calderon, which included a performance by Beyonce.
Source: TODAY
WE ARE here, all of
us this evening, to welcome to Washington the very distinguished Prime
Minister and Mrs. Lee of Singapore, and we are delighted to have both of
you here, Mr. Prime Minister and Mrs. Lee.
Regrettably, I have
not yet had the opportunity, Mr. Prime Minister, to visit Singapore,
and unfortunately, until this morning, I had never had the opportunity
to get acquainted with you and to exchange views with you. But
obviously, because of your reputation and your country's reputation, I
have known both of you.
And I must say that the reputation of
both the country and yourself is carried very far throughout the world.
In its brief existence, Mr. Prime Minister, a decade of independence,
Singapore has compiled a tremendous reputation and record of
accomplishment.
Asian traditions have blended in this case very
successfully with modern technology to produce a prosperous and a very
progressive society without sacrificing a distinctive cultural heritage.
Singapore has built for itself a position of great respect and
influence in Southeast Asia and throughout the rest of the world, and I
have noticed that in my many contacts with other leaders in the
Commonwealth as well as elsewhere.
As the principal architect
of this success, the Prime Minister has become widely known, not only
for what Singapore has accomplished under his leadership but also for
his very broad grasp of international relationships.
Over the
last decade, he has achieved a very special status among world leaders
for his very thoughtful and his articulate interpretations of world
events. He is a man of vision whose views are very relevant to world
issues and whose advice is widely sought.
When the Prime
Minister speaks, we-all listen most carefully for good and sufficient
reasons, and we come away from those experiences far wiser.
And
I am especially pleased that we have an opportunity to exchange views
with the Prime Minister at this time. We have had a tragedy in
Indochina. It is affecting all of the countries in Southeast Asia, as
well as all of us who are deeply concerned for the future of Southeast
Asia and for the cause of freedom. It has made the problems of Southeast
Asia much more difficult. But let me say without reservation, we are
determined to deal affirmatively with those problems, and we will deal
with them.
The Prime Minister's visit gives us the benefit of
his experience and his wisdom in assessing the current situation in that
part of the world. It also gives me the opportunity to assure him that
our commitments in Southeast Asia and elsewhere, if I might add, are
honored and will be honored, and that our concern for the security and
for the welfare of free nations in Southeast Asia is undiminished.
Mr. Prime Minister and Mrs. Lee, it is a great pleasure for Mrs. Ford
and myself to have you here with us this evening and at last to have an
opportunity to have an acquaintanceship and a fine evening with you.
Both Mrs. Ford and I have looked forward to this for some time.
Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you now to raise your glasses .and join
with me in offering a toast to the Prime Minister of Singapore and to
Mrs. Lee.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=4904
#rememberingLeeKuanYew
#proudtobeSingaporean
#ThankfulAndGrateful
#WeWillNotForget
"Singapore is the best run country in the world." And here is the man who runs it.
Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Vice President, ladies and gentlemen:
We have welcomed many very distinguished guests in this room, and I
would say that none is more deserving of our respect and of being
honored, as we honor him tonight, than the Prime Minister and, I may
say, his wife.
I recall the occasions that we have met
previously in his country and also here, and I recall also the enormous
impression that the Prime Minister has made on various emissaries from
the United States who have visited his country. The Vice President and
Mrs. Agnew have had the opportunity to visit Singapore, Secretary Rogers
and Mrs. Rogers. I have not, since coming into this office.
I
think perhaps the best summary of the attitude of all of those who have
visited Singapore during the past 3 to 4 years, since I have been having
rather regular reports on the situation, was when Secretary Connally
returned from his trip around the world when he was Secretary of the
Treasury. He came into my office and said, "Singapore is the best run
country in the world." And here is the man who runs it.
I would
add to that, however, by saying that the best run country in the world
could mean a country that was run very well without freedom, because I
suppose that if you look at countries around the world, those that have
the least obvious problems are those that have no freedom, and
therefore, it would be the best run.
And the Prime Minister
tonight deserves our honor and our respect, because in this relatively
new country with a very old history and a very able people, he has been
able to run it well, but run it with respect for the great traditions of
freedom which our two countries both adhere to, and for this, we all,
of course, hold him in very high regard.
On the two previous
occasions he has been here since I have been in this office, he came
alone, and, consequently, on one occasion we had a stag dinner. This
time, fortunately, he brought Mrs. Lee with him. Now, I had read
something about their courtship. I knew that, like Secretary Rogers and
Mrs. Rogers, they had gone to school together, they had both graduated
from law school in the same class, and so tonight, very early in the
evening, when you saw me turning to Mrs. Lee, I said, "Mrs. Lee, tell
me, is it true that you were number one in the class at Cambridge Law
School and your husband was number two?" And she said, "Mr. President,
do you think he would have married me if that were the case?"
But I probed further, and I found that, as a matter of fact, Mrs. Lee,
our distinguished guest, did receive a first at Cambridge Law School.
Her husband did also, but like a very loyal wife, she said, "He had a
first with a star after his name, and that is something very special."
But the purpose of that is simply to say that we are very happy here to
welcome our distinguished guests because of their personal qualities,
because of their great ability, and because of the leadership they have
given to their own country.
I would only add this: In the talks
that I have had with the Prime Minister, in 1967 when we first met--at a
time that neither he nor I had any idea that we would be meeting again
today in this place---but in any event, in 1967 when we first met, on
the other two occasions, what has impressed me enormously has been his
profound understanding, not just of his own country and not just of
Southeast Asia, of which his own country is a very important part, but
of the entire world scene. In other words, we honor tonight and we
welcome here a world statesman of the first rank, who has contributed,
with his intelligence, with his understanding, to all of, us, in helping
us to develop the kinds of policies that will maintain a world in which
freedom can survive for larger countries like the United States and for
smaller countries like Singapore.
There is no more articulate
and intelligent spokesman for what I would call free societies in the
world than the Prime Minister of Singapore, and for that reason I know
all of you will want to join me in raising your glasses to Prime
Minister Lee. Prime Minister Lee.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=3802
#rememberingLeeKuanYew
#proudandimpressed
