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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published October 1, 2009
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Delays in Sports Hub endangering SEA Games bid
Unlikely it will be ready for 2013 games, says minister
By LEE U-WEN
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(SINGAPORE) Singapore's plans to host the South-east Asia (SEA) Games in 2013 are in jeopardy because of continued delays to the new Sports Hub, said Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday.
The government, he added, is now in active discussions with the Singapore National Olympic Council and will make an official confirmation soon on whether it will pass up the 2013 hosting plans completely or put the Republic's name in the hat for the next edition in 2015 instead.
Speaking to the media at Pulau Ubin where he was gracing a Youth Olympic Games (YOG) event, Dr Balakrishnan said that the government would not be hasty in finishing the $1.87 billion facility at Kallang, which has been dogged by one delay after another due to financial and legal issues and the global economic downturn.
'Quite frankly, I think it is unlikely that it will be ready for the 2013 SEA Games,' he said, adding that delays had to be expected because the government did not want to overspend on the 35-hectare project and cost taxpayers more in the long run.
'The reason for the delay is because we have been so careful about spending money. For instance if we had insisted on rushing through the project early last year, we would have incurred much higher construction costs. Similarly, if we had insisted on rushing through the project early part of this year, interest rates would have been exorbitant . . . even the loans would probably have been non-existent.'
=> Fcuk lah! Just say $ no enuff cos Old Fart + Butch-in-Law lost big and laid their hands on the budget meant for the hub lah!
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The Sports Hub, a public-private partnership project, was originally scheduled for completion at end-2010 but there have been at least five delays since, and Dr Balakrish- nan's comments suggest that the Sports Hub may not open until 2014 at the earliest, given that the SEA Games in 2013 would likely be held in either November or December.
When completed, the Sports Hub will feature a 55,000-seat National Stadium with a retractable roof, a 6,000-capacity indoor aquatic centre and a 3,000-capacity multi-purpose indoor arena, among other venues.
Said Dr Balakrishnan: 'I still want to work within the budget that we have set out for ourselves, but in due time there will be a Sports Hub which all of us can be very proud of. Just like for the YOG, I want to make sure that when we put our hands up, and put an offer on the table, it is a good offer and it is something that we can deliver. I always want to underpromise and overdeliver.'
At Pulau Ubin, Dr Balakrishnan unveiled the seven Culture and Education Programme pictograms for the YOG, depicting the seven types of activities that the 3,500 teenage athletes will take part in next August.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Delays in Sports Hub endangering SEA Games bid
Unlikely it will be ready for 2013 games, says minister
By LEE U-WEN
<TABLE class=storyLinks border=0 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=1 width=136 align=right><TBODY><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right>
</TD><TD>Email this article</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right></TD><TD>Print article </TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right></TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>(SINGAPORE) Singapore's plans to host the South-east Asia (SEA) Games in 2013 are in jeopardy because of continued delays to the new Sports Hub, said Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday.
The government, he added, is now in active discussions with the Singapore National Olympic Council and will make an official confirmation soon on whether it will pass up the 2013 hosting plans completely or put the Republic's name in the hat for the next edition in 2015 instead.
Speaking to the media at Pulau Ubin where he was gracing a Youth Olympic Games (YOG) event, Dr Balakrishnan said that the government would not be hasty in finishing the $1.87 billion facility at Kallang, which has been dogged by one delay after another due to financial and legal issues and the global economic downturn.
'Quite frankly, I think it is unlikely that it will be ready for the 2013 SEA Games,' he said, adding that delays had to be expected because the government did not want to overspend on the 35-hectare project and cost taxpayers more in the long run.
'The reason for the delay is because we have been so careful about spending money. For instance if we had insisted on rushing through the project early last year, we would have incurred much higher construction costs. Similarly, if we had insisted on rushing through the project early part of this year, interest rates would have been exorbitant . . . even the loans would probably have been non-existent.'
=> Fcuk lah! Just say $ no enuff cos Old Fart + Butch-in-Law lost big and laid their hands on the budget meant for the hub lah!
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When completed, the Sports Hub will feature a 55,000-seat National Stadium with a retractable roof, a 6,000-capacity indoor aquatic centre and a 3,000-capacity multi-purpose indoor arena, among other venues.
Said Dr Balakrishnan: 'I still want to work within the budget that we have set out for ourselves, but in due time there will be a Sports Hub which all of us can be very proud of. Just like for the YOG, I want to make sure that when we put our hands up, and put an offer on the table, it is a good offer and it is something that we can deliver. I always want to underpromise and overdeliver.'
At Pulau Ubin, Dr Balakrishnan unveiled the seven Culture and Education Programme pictograms for the YOG, depicting the seven types of activities that the 3,500 teenage athletes will take part in next August.
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