Thu, August 27, 2009
SINGAPORE, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- There has been a close symbiotic relationship between government and the private sector in building a place where Singaporeans can work, live and play, a senior Singapore official said on Thursday.
Singapore's Minister in Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Finance and Transport Lim Hwee Hua said that the relationship between the government agencies and developers has resulted in the rejuvenation of Singapore's housing estates, the preservation of heritage buildings and in providing more choices to homebuyers through schemes such as Design, Build and Sell (DBSS), where the developer undertakes the entire development from planning, design and construction, to the sale of the flats.
However, even as the government and private sector move forward to develop the hardware that will make Singapore a distinctive global city, she highlighted that the "heart ware" of our living environment that will make Singapore an endearing home must not be neglected.
Speaking at the commemoration of 50 years of anniversary by the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (REDAS), she said that progress alone will not be meaningful if institutions ignore the society within which they exist, saying that companies have a critical role to play in building sustainable communities and providing vital support for the less privileged, adding that companies that embark on giving back to the community often find that it is beneficial all round.
She reminded that as a community, there is a responsibility to look out for the less fortunate.
"We must ensure that the low-income and other less-privileged groups of Singaporeans are not left behind as we progress. The current economic conditions will certainly strain the social fabric of our society. However, by banding together and striving towards a common objective, we will be able to weather these tough times and emerge stronger, more resilient and closer to each other," she urged.
