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[h=2]PM Lee’s ‘Jewel’ fails to impress[/h]
January 3rd, 2014 |
Author: Contributions
Lee Hsien Loong’s second vanity project (after the casinos), projected to cost $1.46b, has been criticized by many as a gargantuan waste of public funds as well as for its ambiguity in terms of who the Project is supposed to benefit.
In a reply to these critics today in the PAP-controlled Straits Times, the Changi Airport Group (CAG) Deputy CEO Ms Hung Jean tried to counter these criticisms but end up regurgitating the same old official line. She wrote:
In fact, all it serves to demonstrate is that the Project is all form and very little substance.
Ms Hung Jean’s letter does not state what will Project Jewel will contain other than “early check-in services for fly-cruise and fly-coach passengers, a new hotel and training facilities for airport staff.”
We wonder how having early check ins for fly-cruise or fly-coach passengers will be a “game changer”.
As of today, CAG does not even have luggage check-in facilities in town unlike cities like HK. Why would tourists visit Singapore just because there is early check-in for fly-cruise?
Hung Jean’s letter hence falls short on reassuring us taxpayers of who this billion dollar project is for or how substantively different it would be from Terminal 1, 2 or 3 or any other malls along Orchard Road.
This is reinforced by the fact that the CAG has awarded the tender for developing and managing the mall to CapitaMalls Asia which already runs 18 malls in Singapore.
How many of you can tell the difference from one shopping mall to another – other than Funan Centre which specializes in computers?
In fact, we know that CapitaMall has contractual agreements with a number of retail or F&B chains requiring these chains to open branches at any new malls that Capitaland builds. An example is the 10-min hair salon, EC House, which can be found in all Capitaland malls. This practice ensures that the property giant is able to fill up such new malls promptly tenants.
It also explains why most if not all of Singapore’s malls have largely the same mixture of shops.
CAG’s reply hence falls short of telling us how Project Jewel will benefit Singaporeans. In fact, it does not even explain how Project Jewel will be game-changer.
What it does tell us however is that despite the new year, these high-ranking civil servants who are paid market rates are still very much relying on the same old usual letter template to respond to citizens, treating us like idiots who do not know a thing.
As the saying goes: the more things change, the more things stay the same. Or in less elegant parlance: a brand new year, the same old bull shit.
The Alternative View
Source: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Alternative-View/358759327518739
Editor’s note: CAG Dty CEO commented, “With eye-catching architecture, exciting attractions and quality retail and dining offerings, it will attract tourists and transit passengers to choose Singapore as their preferred air hub and stopover destination.”
It’s rather strange for a senior executive of CAG to make such a comment. When most travellers make plans to travel by air, they will choose a direct flight as far as possible. If this is not possible, they will then essentially decide the route to take based on cost and time taken for the whole journey via the stopover. Transit offerings are really secondary.
Lee Hsien Loong’s second vanity project (after the casinos), projected to cost $1.46b, has been criticized by many as a gargantuan waste of public funds as well as for its ambiguity in terms of who the Project is supposed to benefit.
In a reply to these critics today in the PAP-controlled Straits Times, the Changi Airport Group (CAG) Deputy CEO Ms Hung Jean tried to counter these criticisms but end up regurgitating the same old official line. She wrote:
“Project Jewel is a game-changer for Changi Airport, designed to capture tourism mindshare at a global level.
With eye-catching architecture, exciting attractions and quality retail and dining offerings, it will attract tourists and transit passengers to choose Singapore as their preferred air hub and stopover destination.”
This may be good enough to fool the legion of PAP supporters but keen minds will not fail to see that Ms Hung Jean’s response does not address our concerns at allWith eye-catching architecture, exciting attractions and quality retail and dining offerings, it will attract tourists and transit passengers to choose Singapore as their preferred air hub and stopover destination.”
In fact, all it serves to demonstrate is that the Project is all form and very little substance.
Ms Hung Jean’s letter does not state what will Project Jewel will contain other than “early check-in services for fly-cruise and fly-coach passengers, a new hotel and training facilities for airport staff.”
We wonder how having early check ins for fly-cruise or fly-coach passengers will be a “game changer”.
As of today, CAG does not even have luggage check-in facilities in town unlike cities like HK. Why would tourists visit Singapore just because there is early check-in for fly-cruise?
Hung Jean’s letter hence falls short on reassuring us taxpayers of who this billion dollar project is for or how substantively different it would be from Terminal 1, 2 or 3 or any other malls along Orchard Road.
This is reinforced by the fact that the CAG has awarded the tender for developing and managing the mall to CapitaMalls Asia which already runs 18 malls in Singapore.
How many of you can tell the difference from one shopping mall to another – other than Funan Centre which specializes in computers?
In fact, we know that CapitaMall has contractual agreements with a number of retail or F&B chains requiring these chains to open branches at any new malls that Capitaland builds. An example is the 10-min hair salon, EC House, which can be found in all Capitaland malls. This practice ensures that the property giant is able to fill up such new malls promptly tenants.
It also explains why most if not all of Singapore’s malls have largely the same mixture of shops.
CAG’s reply hence falls short of telling us how Project Jewel will benefit Singaporeans. In fact, it does not even explain how Project Jewel will be game-changer.
What it does tell us however is that despite the new year, these high-ranking civil servants who are paid market rates are still very much relying on the same old usual letter template to respond to citizens, treating us like idiots who do not know a thing.
As the saying goes: the more things change, the more things stay the same. Or in less elegant parlance: a brand new year, the same old bull shit.
The Alternative View
Source: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Alternative-View/358759327518739
Editor’s note: CAG Dty CEO commented, “With eye-catching architecture, exciting attractions and quality retail and dining offerings, it will attract tourists and transit passengers to choose Singapore as their preferred air hub and stopover destination.”
It’s rather strange for a senior executive of CAG to make such a comment. When most travellers make plans to travel by air, they will choose a direct flight as far as possible. If this is not possible, they will then essentially decide the route to take based on cost and time taken for the whole journey via the stopover. Transit offerings are really secondary.
