BT : Making the most of invested hardware

Business Times - 05 Feb 2010

ECONOMIC STRATEGIES COMMITTEE
Making the most of invested hardware

Govt to focus more on software to make S'pore a global city

By UMA SHANKARI

SINGAPORE has invested a lot in 'hardware' - by developing new parts of the island and building theatres - over the decades as it tried to become a more liveable city.

But now, more investment in 'software' is needed, according to the Economic Strategies Committee. The sub-committee tasked with making Singapore a leading global city released its full report yesterday.

'Going forward . . . the accelerated phase of making sure we have the right hardware is probably over,' said Lui Tuck Yew, Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, who co-chaired the sub-committee.

Right now, there are plans for just a few more new cultural developments - such as the National Art Gallery and Singapore Sports Hub.

Cheong Koon Hean, chief executive of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), agreed: 'We have done very well on the hardware - creating homes, greenery, leisure options. We have invested a lot in hardware in the past decades, particular at Marina Bay, Orchard Road and other places.'

Singapore will continue to do that - but also focus on how to create more value from what has been invested.

Said Mrs Cheong: 'We will also try to be a bit more cutting edge in sustainable development in selected districts. The next step is to get good value from our investment in hardware by going more into the software, going into new frontiers like place management.'

Place management is about working with stakeholders to create economically and socially vibrant districts.

'We are starting that with four precincts - Marina Bay, Singapore River, Orchard Road and Bras Basah/Bugis,' Mrs Cheong said. 'It is a learning curve for us, to work with the stakeholders to create vibrant districts. We may eventually extend this to the conservation areas.'

The report also suggested looking into providing affordable spaces for business clusters (such as Gillman Village) and appointing agency champions such as JTC to develop or manage the infrastructure needs of emerging arts and creative sectors.

The sub-committee also presented a host of other ideas, including enticing more educational institutes, such as the Tisch School of the Arts, to set up here.

The aim, the report says, should be to attract or develop at least five world-class institutions or programmes here by 2020. RAdm Lui said that attracting educational institutions here was a strategy that has worked well, so Singapore should continue to pursue it.

Copyright © 2010 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.



Gillman Village: The report also suggests looking into providing affordable spaces for business clusters and appointing agency champions