• IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here.

    The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.

Govt mulls nuclear power, convert PSA harbour into "water front city"

SNAblog

Alfrescian
Loyal
http://www.businessweek.com/news/20...ear-power-fewer-foreigners-minister-says.html

Bloomberg
Singapore Mulls Nuclear Power, Fewer Foreigners, Minister Says
February 01, 2010, 01:56 AM EST

By Shamim Adam

Feb. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Singapore should consider using nuclear power and depend less on foreign workers in its efforts to transform the economy in the next decade, a government- appointed panel said.

The city state must aim to double its productivity rate in the next decade and encourage companies to expand abroad to spur growth after emerging from a recession last year, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who heads the Economic Strategies Committee, said in Singapore today. The recommendations have been accepted by the government and will be addressed in the budget to be unveiled on Feb. 22, he said.

Singapore is seeking ways to ensure its economy expands in a more sustained manner after three recessions in the past decade, with its most recent slump the deepest since independence in 1965. The government has said it wants to boost productivity to make up for an anticipated slowdown in growth as the nation becomes more developed.

The panel today announced seven proposals to restructure the economy. They include making the city state a hub for global companies seeking to expand in Asia, improving energy security and being more flexible in land usage.

The committee urged the government to study using nuclear energy as a future source of power and the import of coal and electricity. It also recommended the creation of a “waterfront city” on existing port facilities run by the Port Authority of Singapore in the southern part of the island when the lease expires in 2027.

Foreign Workers

The government plans to reduce the Southeast Asian island’s dependence on foreign workers by raising levies imposed on employers hiring overseas labor in a “gradual and phased manner,” Shanmugaratnam said. Policy makers will seek to maintain the foreign labor force at the current level of about one-third of the total workforce, he said.

Singapore has been looking at ways to restructure its economy since 2001, with the government-appointed Economic Review Committee that preceded the current panel urging changes to policies relating to taxation, wages and new industries to draw more investments.

That led to the promotion of industries such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology research and wealth management to offset slowing electronics exports. Singapore’s efforts to be a more competitive place to do business has also seen it shave 9 percentage points off the corporate tax rate since 2000.

Singapore may grow at a slower annual pace compared with the average 5 percent expansion of the past decade because the $182 billion economy is more developed now, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said last week. Gross domestic product may grow 3 percent to 5 percent in 2010, after a 2.1 percent contraction last year, the government forecasts.

Boosting Income

“We have to do it so that progressively and inexorably, our economy will be transformed,” Lee said Jan. 25. “Then, provided we can raise our productivity, even if our total GDP grows more slowly, our workers can become more productive and our income per capita can continue to rise.”

Singapore’s productivity rate lags behind that of the U.S., Japan and other countries, the panel said today. Productivity in manufacturing and services are about 55 percent to 65 percent of the levels in the U.S. and Japan, it said.

Productivity growth of between 2 percent and 3 percent annually will help GDP increase by 3 percent and 5 percent per annum in the next 10 years, the panel said. The rate averaged 1 percent in the last decade.

Global-Asia Hub

“We have significant room to increase productivity in every sector of our economy,” the panel said in a report. “This shift to productivity-driven growth will require major new investments in the skills, expertise and innovative capabilities of our people and businesses over the next decade.”

The country is targeting as much as S$12 billion in fixed- asset investments this year, after attracting S$11.8 billion in 2009.

Singapore should aim to be a “key Global-Asia hub for global players seeking to tap opportunities offered by a rising Asia, and for Asian enterprises looking to expand beyond their home markets,” the panel said.

Singapore’s manufacturing industry makes up about a quarter of the economy and its dependence on electronics and pharmaceutical exports has made it vulnerable to fluctuations in global demand and business cycles. That pushed it into a deeper recession than many neighbors in last year’s global slump.

The government aims to keep its manufacturing industry an “integral” part of the economy even as it seeks new strategies to help it grow faster than other advanced countries, Trade Minister Lim Hng Kiang said in November.

Complex Manufacturing

“High value and complex manufacturing generates good jobs with diverse skill requirements, provide opportunities for constant upgrading and stimulated demand for sophisticated services,” the panel said, recommending that the industry continue to contribute as much as 25 percent of GDP. “We should continue the shift into complex manufacturing.”

The panel recommended fostering the growth of local companies. There were about 530 Singapore companies that had revenue of more than S$100 million as of 2007, and the target is to create 1,000 such enterprises by 2020, the panel said.

The government should help companies expand abroad by forming institutions such as an export-import bank and export credit agencies, the panel said.

The panel recommends that the government develop an “underground master plan” to create more space as there may be limits to how much land it can reclaim, it said.


--Editors: Stephanie Phang, Lars Klemminggl
 

Ramseth

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
How come EIGHT committees and only seven recommendations? What happened to the eighth one?

I guess the 8th recommended that nothing more should be done cause everything's alright, just like spending $400k to rename Marina Bay to Marina Bay.

This is Singapore. Like it takes a committe involving PM and Ministers to decide that Singapore wants to qualify for World Cup 2010. It takes a manager and 11 players to lose some games and all pretend to forget it.
 

QXD

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
323281734_c61af2cf3d.jpg



PAP Huat Arrrghhhhh!!!
 

Ramseth

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Nuclear power station won't blow up like that. That requires weapon grade uranium. Worse comes to worst is radioactive leaks only.
 

QXD

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
Nuclear power station won't blow up like that. That requires weapon grade uranium. Worse comes to worst is radioactive leaks only.

Your ability in stating the obvious is astounding.
 

Sperminator

Alfrescian
Loyal
Nuclear power station won't blow up like that. That requires weapon grade uranium. Worse comes to worst is radioactive leaks only.

Why do we even have to consider Nuclear Power Plants?

Don't they know Radioactive Leaks? And the Nuclear Spent Fuel Cells requires consistent cooling...

These are danger points for the entire nation, have they forgotten about Chernobyl?

Why don't consider cleaner, safer, and perhaps even cost savings solutions like;

1. CNG power generators (which 80% of SGP's power station is using )

2. LPG power generators ( which SGP is the HUB of OIL REFINERIES, and large quantities of PROPANE are being burnt for storage issues ... why not consider using the "WASTE GASES" and put a Power Plant NEAR BY )

3. Waste BioFuel Convertors to convert Garbage into Diesel / Petrol whereby these BioFuels could be used as Power Generators Fuels?

- Singapore do have tonnes and tonnes of waste generated... and such technology exist -- reference from Discovery Channel / National Geography Channels.

4. Hydrogen Fuel Cells look like a promising technology

5. Request some R&D engineers to look at Nikola Tesla's Wireless Electricity Transmissions Theory

6. Request some R&D engineers to look at Stanley Myer's WATER POWERED ENGINES...

There are so many ways, but everyone just thinking about Nuclear... remember, Uranium Fuel Cells are RADIOACTIVE, with half life of hundreds of years, why do we have to past the shit down to our next generation?

Let's be more responsible for our family, our next generation, our environment, our country!

Remember Chernobyl... it's disasterous, one fuck up, it'll cause the entire nation to disaster...

I rather go ahead with safe, clean, and cost effective solutions than, "acceptable risk", "uncertain risk of leakage", and billions of SGD investments...

There are so many ways, but why isn't the committee thinking right?

Proposal;

1. Convert current "WASTE GAS BURNING (Propane - aka LPG)" oil refinery facilities into POWER PLANTS

2. Consider CNG purchase from CNG reserve nations like INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, AUSTRALIA, BANGLADESH, CENTRAL ASIA, ALGERIA, BOLIVIA...

3. Consider implementation of BIOFuel Converting Technology from our TRASH LANDFILLS, and input these BIOFuels into our existing Power Generators which could be converted to accept BIOFUELS.

4. Research on breakthrough technologies like Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Tesla's Wireless Power Transmission, Stanley Myer's Water Power Engine.

I think, with the above proposal, we don't really need a Nuke Reactor in our backyard...

Is anyone at Singapore, true Singaporeans, born and bred there, happy to see a Nuke Reactor at your Residence's window? Search your souls...

I hope the Government really think carefully about this... and it's repercussion...

When there are no problems, it's okay, everything is fine, but when there is a leakage... who will bear the mistakes? as its already too late!

My dear Singaporeans, whoever are in the committee, please reflect on this carefully.... it's not about the cost... it's about the future that we are creating or destroying!
 

choonway

Alfrescian
Loyal
If we put the nuclear reactor aboard a ship sail it to deep ocean generate synthetic fuels from there and transport it back to singapore. Problem solved.

Nuclear waste - burn in fast breeder reactors.
 

Sperminator

Alfrescian
Loyal
If we put the nuclear reactor aboard a ship sail it to deep ocean generate synthetic fuels from there and transport it back to singapore. Problem solved.

Nuclear waste - burn in fast breeder reactors.

I am beginning to suspect that choonway is part of the research team in the committee to get feedbacks from the forumers here.

Is this the case choonway?

Okay, choonway if you are part of the committee for Nukes Reactors in SGP, I tell you straight...

NO NUKES REACTOR in SINGAPORE!

NUKES = DANGER
 

kingrant

Alfrescian
Loyal
A lot of old wine in new bottles. They talked abt external wing donkey years ago but nothing has happened. We had a national productivity movement for years but it was dissolved. Complex mfg - what is it that China can't do:cheaper, better, faster? Nuclear energy? All just trying to sound optimistic and upbeat. I doubt Iswaran has a clue on what he's talking.

It's the PAP, stupid!
 

longbow

Alfrescian
Loyal
Cannot lah, we literally have no room for error. On top of that we have 5 to 6M illion within 40 km miles of this reactor.

From military point of view would also make all that F16, Frigates useless. After all a couple of well places missiles could lead to a leak.
 

Sperminator

Alfrescian
Loyal
Cannot lah, we literally have no room for error. On top of that we have 5 to 6M illion within 40 km miles of this reactor.

From military point of view would also make all that F16, Frigates useless. After all a couple of well places missiles could lead to a leak.

Finally, someone who DO NOT support NUKES REACTOR.

Good to know that there are some rational people here....

Better hope that some of our posts are being feedbacked to the Committee, whoever they are...
 

Ramseth

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
There're thousands of nuclear power reactors all over North America and Europe, and even Japan. Just because of Chernobyl, say it's dangerous, let's not have it, is like saying let's ban all motor vehicles after a traffic accident, let's ban all aircraft after an air crash,
 

Sperminator

Alfrescian
Loyal
There're thousands of nuclear power reactors all over North America and Europe, and even Japan. Just because of Chernobyl, say it's dangerous, let's not have it, is like saying let's ban all motor vehicles after a traffic accident, let's ban all aircraft after an air crash,

by the way, Ramseth, do you like to see a Nuke Reactor outside your home?

Plain and simple?
 

makapaaa

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
In short, they went from 1st to 3rd world and now wanna go back to the 1st world. Ask them to fcuk spider.
 
Top