b) I happen to see a few IMF delegates eating the famous prawn
noodles at Adams Road. Want proof? Go ask the stall
owner.
c) Doesnt IMF delegate have to eat? Who do you think prepared and
provided the food?
d) Using Suntec as an example it flawed because we know that the
place at Suntec are literary shut during the meeting.
Was Suntec Mall shut completely,
or only the entry points to conference halls ?
Surely those 1000 plus delegates and visitors to this World Bank
and IMF meet in September 2006 in Singapore would have provided a
captive consumer to the
retailers at Suntec Mall; as you have brilliant
believed that the MICE events were supposed to benefit the retail
trade ?
Are you now retracting from your position ?
[quote]
e) The location of Genting Highland is about 2hours away from KL
city, do we need 2 hours to travel from Sentosa or Marina Bay to
Clark Quay, Orchard Road? Genting Highlands is only 1 hour from KL, and it
is highway all the way, with fresh country air.
From Sentosa across to the Main Singapore Island, and by public
transport will easily also take 1 hour by public transport -
including waiting time; and if by private or rental vehicle, you
will have to pay the prohibitive vehicular and human entry fee to
Sentosa Island, each time you wander in and out.
If you are a stranger in Singapore, is there any bright lights or
crowded streets as in Akasaka or Ginza Districts in Tokyo, or Tsim
Sa Sui in Hongkong, or Times Square in New York City ?
One shopping mall is like any other shopping mall, do you think
that a visitor to Singapore will spend less time at the Integrated
Resorts and more time wandering around Singapore ?
Those Singaporeans who have been to the USA, are rushed through
cities on a package tour, and hardly even bother to spend free time
to explore on their own once entering a hotel.
By the same token of experience, those who make it to visit the IR
in Singapore without families in tow, are here for the
gaming.
While those who visit the Singapore IR facilities with family in
tow, will probably be bugged by their kids to remain at the IR
instead of wasting time exploring Singapore.
f) Did Singapore hotel industry benefits from IMF
convention?
Who owns the hotels ?
Besides the Raffles Group of Hotels, the remaining hotels (5-Stars,
and lesser) are all owned by Private Individuals or Family
Enterprises.
Do the hotel workers get extra wage or bonuses as a consequence of
the spike in occupancy from the World Bank-IMF meet in Singapore
?
The reason we need highprofile event such as Olympic, IMF, F1, is
because it help to market our country globally and that will help
bring future tourist to Singapore. And beside that what our
government is doing it to no put everything in one basket and that
is why we have MICE business to compliment the leisure
tourists.
Full marks for paying attention to
what the Government has said - and with such diligence.
Beyond those superficial remarks, have you no more deeper thoughts
on the social implications and social costs to Singaporeans ?
Regurgitating words is easy, but having a more critical and
analytical mind requires development on a personal basis that is
far more than the university education can perform.
