SPEECH BY DR VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN, MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH AND SPORTS AND SECOND MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF SINGAPORE FESTIVAL VILLAGE, 20 JANUARY 2006, 4 P.M. AT SENTOSA COVE

Your Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

Thank you for the invitation to officiate at the opening of the Singapore Festival Village at Sentosa Cove this afternoon. Let me extend a warm welcome to the participants of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race to Singapore.

I am pleased to note that the Uniquely Singapore Clipper, skippered by Richard Falk, has been doing a great job.

I am proud of the 21 Singaporeans in the crew of the Uniquely Singapore Clipper. Some of them signed up for the race even though they were novices at sailing, showing a willingness to step out of their comfort zones. Many of them have invested much time and resources to be a part of this adventure. For example, David Beevers, gave up his job, and Adrian Yap overcame his hearing disability to pursue his yachting dreams.

I would like to applaud the crew for their tenacity and determination, and wish them all the best for the rest of the race. I believe they will continue to display the strong Singapore spirit and do us proud.

Singapore Festival Village

The Singapore Festival Village, held here at Sentosa Cove over this weekend, aims to foster a sporting and adventurous culture. Singaporeans and visitors will be able to enjoy a variety of activities including the first sailing simulator experience in Singapore, the Singapore Festival Village Football Challenge and the Sentosa Cove Sail Boat Race, which is the largest remote-controlled boat race ever held in Singapore.

The Singapore Festival Village will play host to the international crew of the ten Clipper teams, as well as feature our Team Singapore athletes. Another highlight will be the sailing clinics by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, founder and executive chairman of Clipper Ventures. The Singapore Festival Village will allow Singaporeans to explore the various recreation options and let visitors have a taste of Singapore’s culture and food at the various pavilions.

A Vibrant Tourism Destination

The stopover of the Clipper race in Singapore is a great opportunity for our international guests to enjoy a Uniquely Singapore experience. For instance, you could visit Chinatown in the evening to enjoy the street light-up and bustling bazaar which are part of the Spring Festival (Chun Jie) Celebrations leading up to the Chinese New Year. I am sure that the crew of the Uniquely Singapore Clipper would be happy to tell you more and show you around Singapore.

The tourism industry in Singapore has been growing robustly. Some of our new tourism offerings include two internationally renowned entertainment brands at Clarke Quay – the Ministry of Sound and Crazy Horse Paris. This island resort Sentosa also started a new Sentosa Luge ride, revamped attractions such as the Images of Singapore, and upgraded the beachfront with distinctive beach cafes.

Looking ahead, visitors to Singapore can expect more exciting developments. In a few years, you will be able to enjoy the wide range of retail, dining, entertainment and gaming facilities offered by the integrated resorts at Marina Bay front and Sentosa. You will also be able to take in stunning vistas of the Singapore city and skyline from the giant observation wheel named the Singapore Flyer. Shopping along Orchard Road will soon be a different experience as plans are underway to enhance its status as one of the world’s great shopping streets. An exciting array of sporting events including the Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, and the new Volvo Pacific Race has also been lined up.

Conclusion

Let me conclude by congratulating STB and its race partners Sentosa Cove, PSA International, Keppel Corporation and Team Singapore for organizing a successful stopover of the Clipper race. It is my pleasure now to declare the Singapore Festival Village open, and I wish everyone a most enjoyable time.

Thank you.