Things move fast in MND, and here is a round up of some of the other significant developments in the past month.
Real Estate Industry Review
The Government will begin consultations for a new regulatory framework for the real estate industry to help home buyers better safeguard their interests and increase the sector’s professionalism. New regulations, training, and exam requirements for agents entering the business may be in the pipeline. National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said in March that the status quo was "not tenable" and that the whole system was "not satisfactory", given the rising numbers of complaints against errant agents. The feedback exercise will take place from September to November this year, with key elements of the framework to be ready by December.
Towards the Punggol Vision
The construction of the $16.7 million Punggol Promenade has begun, as part of a grand vision to transform Punggol into Singapore's iconic suburban waterfront town. This took a step closer to reality with a recent groundbreaking ceremony. The 4.9km promenade will eventually form part of a 150-km round-island route, which will also include other amenities such as playgrounds and a horse-riding school. Plans include turning the jetty and beach at Punggol Point into a park with cycling tracks and eateries, and developing nature trails and fishing spots. Feedback from residents had been integrated in the design.
Forging Better Ties
The relationship between Singapore’s Ministry of National Development and Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction scaled new heights last month. National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan and the Vietnamese Construction Minister Nguyen Hong Quan signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which formalised cooperation in urban planning, public housing and construction industry policies. Minister Quan was in Singapore on an official visit at the invitation of Minister Mah to learn more about urban development and urban technical infrastructure, as well as to explore opportunities for future collaboration in training.
Connecting with Residents
Town councils are set to come under the spotlight every six months from next year, when the Town Council Management Report is introduced to assess how well they are running Singapore’s public housing estates. Town councils are likely to be assessed in core areas, such as cleanliness or maintenance, said Senior Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu. The individual town councils would not be ranked, but may be banded together. SMS added that one other way they could improve was to publish abridged versions of financial reports, so that residents can better understand how the funds have been used. This can also help the town councils to build rapport with the residents and understand their expectations.
Xtreme Skating
The Xtreme SkatePark @ East Coast held its inaugural international action sports competition – the Singapore Extreme Championship 2009 – on Saturday, 29 Aug. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was Guest-of-Honour at the event, along with Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports.
Seventy-five competitors from seven Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong, took part in the two-day event featuring three disciplines: Skateboard, Aggressive In-Line and BMX Freestyle. At night, the skatepark was transformed into a massive dance arena where hip-hop dance crews battled it out at the Xtreme Dance Showdown. Despite the finals on the second day being called off due to safety concerns from the rain and the winners being selected based on their performances in the preliminary rounds, everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable inaugural Extreme Championship.
Work on Concept Plan 2011 to begin
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, speaking at the MND National Day Observance Ceremony, announced that work has begun on preparing the 2011 Concept Plan. The Plan will be a major review of MND’s long-term land use plans and strategies to cater to the changing needs of Singapore’s growing economy and population. A key focus is to plan for sustainable growth. URA will seek the public’s views to ensure that MND’s plans are in sync with the evolving lifestyles and aspirations of Singaporeans.
