BIODATA
2007 parliamentary debate on public assistance
Dr Lily Neo:
Sir, I want to check with the Minister again when he said on the strict criteria on the entitlement for PA recipients. May I ask him what is his definition of "subsistence living"? Am I correct to say that, out of $260 per month for PA recipients, $100 goes to rental, power supply and S&C and leaving them with only $5 a day to live on? Am I correct to say that any basic meal in any hawker centre is already $2.50 to $3.00 per meal? Therefore, is it too much to ask for just three meals a day as an entitlement for the PA recipients?
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan:
How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?
Casino Decision in 9 Months (Apr 2004)
Dr Balakrishnan allays worries of MPs over potential negative impacts
Excerpts:
"A DECISION for a casino on Sentosa will be made over the next nine months. This was revealed by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday as he fended off MPs' arguments that a local casino will up the 'sin' factor in Singapore."
"But with the rapidly- growing affluence of Asia, the billion-dollar investments in Macau to make it the Las Vegas of the East, and even Thailand's recent move to legalise casinos, Dr Balakrishnan said: 'We have to upgrade and broaden our tourism product offering in Singapore.' However, should a casino be built, he added, 'access to it by Singaporeans will have to be controlled'."
"Said Dr Balakrishnan: 'We must be able to attract our share of the rich and famous for which casinos may be an attraction. If they're going to lose their money, they're going to lose it our way', he quipped."
(Source: wildsingapore.com)
Excerpt of speech at Singapore Problem Gambling Conference 2007
"The NCPG (National Council on Problem Gambling) has started a dialogue with the major existing gambling operators, namely, the Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club, since last year to encourage them to adopt responsible gambling practices. They have also discussed this with the larger social clubs that also operate jackpot rooms. The outcome of these dialogues is the NCPG’s Code of Practice for Responsible Gambling...The Code contains practical steps that operators can adopt to help reduce potential problem gambling such as the display of prominent notices and brochures to remind customers not to gamble excessively and information on problem gambling helplines and services. The Code also covers the training of frontline and management staff to know more about problem gambling, including how to identify and refer problem gamblers for counselling and treatment services."
2007 parliamentary debate on public assistance
Dr Lily Neo:
Sir, I want to check with the Minister again when he said on the strict criteria on the entitlement for PA recipients. May I ask him what is his definition of "subsistence living"? Am I correct to say that, out of $260 per month for PA recipients, $100 goes to rental, power supply and S&C and leaving them with only $5 a day to live on? Am I correct to say that any basic meal in any hawker centre is already $2.50 to $3.00 per meal? Therefore, is it too much to ask for just three meals a day as an entitlement for the PA recipients?
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan:
How much do you want? Do you want three meals in a hawker centre, food court or restaurant?
Casino Decision in 9 Months (Apr 2004)
Dr Balakrishnan allays worries of MPs over potential negative impacts
Excerpts:
"A DECISION for a casino on Sentosa will be made over the next nine months. This was revealed by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday as he fended off MPs' arguments that a local casino will up the 'sin' factor in Singapore."
"But with the rapidly- growing affluence of Asia, the billion-dollar investments in Macau to make it the Las Vegas of the East, and even Thailand's recent move to legalise casinos, Dr Balakrishnan said: 'We have to upgrade and broaden our tourism product offering in Singapore.' However, should a casino be built, he added, 'access to it by Singaporeans will have to be controlled'."
"Said Dr Balakrishnan: 'We must be able to attract our share of the rich and famous for which casinos may be an attraction. If they're going to lose their money, they're going to lose it our way', he quipped."
(Source: wildsingapore.com)
Excerpt of speech at Singapore Problem Gambling Conference 2007
"The NCPG (National Council on Problem Gambling) has started a dialogue with the major existing gambling operators, namely, the Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club, since last year to encourage them to adopt responsible gambling practices. They have also discussed this with the larger social clubs that also operate jackpot rooms. The outcome of these dialogues is the NCPG’s Code of Practice for Responsible Gambling...The Code contains practical steps that operators can adopt to help reduce potential problem gambling such as the display of prominent notices and brochures to remind customers not to gamble excessively and information on problem gambling helplines and services. The Code also covers the training of frontline and management staff to know more about problem gambling, including how to identify and refer problem gamblers for counselling and treatment services."