S'pore needs to be one of most liveable cities globally:
SM Goh
One that goes beyond being its current clean, green and safe
image.
Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said as other new cities erode the
island's competitive advantages, Singapore needs a new
identity.
As a vibrant place with soul that embraces both talents and
ideas.
"Singapore must, therefore project a new identity, one that
captivates the eyes, moves the heart, stirs the soul and inspires
the mind."
He was painting a 25 year vision of Singapore as a "Distinctive
City".
Mr Goh sees Singapore as both a convenient, compact city as well as
an aesthetically-pleasing city with gardens and water
spaces.
Moving on, he also saw the country as one big on economic ideas but
small in its environmental footprint.
"But let me add a caveat here.Those who come to drink from the
oasis must add to our ability to replenish the water and not just
consume and deplete the stock. By this I mean that we must manage
the inflow of talent and new immigrants to ensure that Singaporeans
do not lose out and in fact benefit from their presence. Only then,
can we create a harmonious, cosmopolitan city."
Still, the quality of its people, Mr Goh
said was more important now than at any other time in the past 50
years.
On any given day, some 100 thousand tourists are in
Singapore.
More than half a million foreigners live and work here.
And this means each must go the extra mile - if all are to live
without conflict.
However, there can be no harmony if Singapore prices itself out and
the city is no longer affordable.
Either in terms of rentals for businesses or homes for
people.
"For those who are worried over the recent price increases, MND
tells me that there is adequate supply of homes in the pipeline
both in the central region as well as outside it. The government is
also committed to releasing more land through the Government Land
Sales Programme to ensure that property prices do not fall out of
sync with economic fundamentals."
Mr Goh was speaking at the 50th anniversary of the Real Estate
Developers Association of Singapore.
--938Live
