SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said having
prime space at downtown Marina Bay to expand the Central Business
District gives Singapore a "significant competitive edge" to grow
the financial sector at a time when opportunities in Asia
abound.
He added Marina Bay is a great example of how the
country has risen from "mudflats to metropolis".
Speaking at the 10th anniversary celebration of the
Fullerton Hotel, Mr Goh said the Fullerton Heritage development is
part of efforts to transform Singapore into a distinctive and
dynamic global city.
The event also saw the launch of a book which pays tribute to the
historical significance of the Fullerton area.
Known as the "Fullerton Heritage", the area which spans 1.4 million
square feet along the waterfront, comprises a mixture of dining and
hospitality options.
The Fullerton building, opened in 1928, was home to public offices
like the General Post Office and Finance Ministry.
Mr Goh started his civil service, shipping and political careers at
the building.
"Here, I had the privilege of working for and learning from the
first generation political leaders like Dr Goh Keng Swee and Mr Lim
Kim San, and top public officers like Joe Pillay and Ngiam Tong
Dow.
"I had worked in offices on the second floor, fifth floor and also
the small space up on the sixth floor. You can say that I literally
worked my way up in Fullerton Building.
"Not many people may know this but Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) was
incorporated in Fullerton Building with borrowed space from my
office on the sixth floor. Later, NOL moved out to its own
premises. I joined it a few years later.
"In 1976, I stood for elections and was appointed Senior Minister
of State for Finance a year later. Like a homing pigeon, I returned
to Fullerton Building where the Finance Ministry was," said Mr
Goh.
He added when the decision was made to turn the building into a
hotel, it showed the government had "learned about the value of
location".
- CNA/fa/wk