Tuesday 3 July 2012

Preparing for the Future

SINGAPORE - JULY 02:  The Supertree Grove is i...
I was pleased to see that Singapore had won the award for being the best prepared city for the future, for the second year running. Pound for pound it leaves other cities dead when it comes to infrastructural planning and development.

OK, maybe the maintenance of some of this infrastructure still leaves a little to be desired from time to time (for this read the recent MRT problems) but in the main the country can rightly boast to be at the forefront when it comes to future-proofing.

It also scores well for economic potential and business friendliness but it has to be of concern that it has slipped down the rankings in human resources and quality of life.

The PM has signaled more investment in "new housing estates and upgrading old ones, improving public transport with more train lines and buses, and introducing more green spaces in the city." But is will be the human cost that will keep the government occupied in the years ahead as they try to maintain a balance between building a society that is even more compassionate and encouraging greater immigration from skilled and foreign workers.

Gardens By The Bay is an eco-initiative that impresses me greatly. It was just commencing its ground works when we left Singapore and now it has been officiallly opened with reportedly 70,000 people visiting the complex in the first two days of its opening.


Spanning 101 hectares, it is part of the Singapore's 'City in a Garden’ vision, cost over $1billion Singapore dollars and houses more than 250,000 rare plants.
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