30 October 2010

Rotary Service Day: Trip to Landfill

I was excited to be a part of the Rotary Club of Queenstown's Family Service Project for 2010-2011 (photos below)
Getting to know polytechnic student's from RC of Queenstown's Rotaract Club
Rotary Club of Queenstown Major Project 2010-2011 in Support of Rotary Family Service Centre Literacy Program







The Semakau Landfill is Singapore's first and only landfill situated offshore among the southern islands of Singapore. It covers a total area of 3.5 square kilometres and has a capacity of 63 million m³. To create the required landfill space, a 7 km perimeter rock bund was built to enclose a part of the sea between Pulau Semakau and Pulau Sakeng. It is currently estimated that the landfill, which began operations on 1 Apr 1999, will last till 2045. The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, along with the National Environment Agency which manages the landfill, hopes this deadline will be extended through various waste minimisation and resource conservation initiatives.

Semakau Landfill is filled mainly with ash produced by Singapore's four incineration plants, which incinerate the country's waste, shipped there in a covered barge (to prevent the ash from getting blown into the air) every night. Contrary to popular belief that Semakau Landfill would be another dirty and smelly landfill, the care put into the design and operational work at the landfill has ensured that the site is clean, free of smell and scenic. During construction, silt screens were installed to ensure that the corals were not affected during the reclamation works. The landfill is lined with an impermeable membrane, and clay and any leachate produced is processed at a leachate treatment plant. Regular water testing is carried out to ensure the integrity of the impermeable liners.

29 October 2010

Rotary Tree Dedication Ceremony


TREE DEDICATION CEREMONY FOR 2010 PLANTS –SAT. 20TH Nov.2010
Rotarians, landscapers, corporate sponsors, supporting organizations and green supporters will spend a meaningful Saturday in a mass tree planting ceremony on 20 November 2010 in celebration of the United Nation’s (UN’s) International Year of Biodiversity.

In the face of increasing global concern over climate change, deforestation and species extinction, the call to UNite to Combat Climate Change is now more urgent than ever. The green project was initiated by the Institute of Parks and Recreation Singapore and the Rotary Club of Victoria Singapore in support of Plant for the Planet: The Billion Tree Campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The project’s objective was to garner corporate and public support for the Plant-A-Tree Program by National Parks Board and fund raise for the Garden City Fund in the government’s ongoing campaign to transform Singapore into a “City in the Garden” and create a sustainable environment for Singapore.

The event is staged to attract families, youths and corporate. It will also be attended by NGOs, such as Soroptimist International of Singapore, Lions Club of Singapore Culture and Joo Chiat Culture Toastmaster Club.

Besides a certificate from NParks and the Organising Committee, sponsors who donate a tree will receive a certificate by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under their Plant for the Planet: The Billion Tree Campaign.  Trees will be provided by National Parks Board for a donation of $200 to the Garden City Fund.

The campaign aims to educate and encourage the public to participate in tree planting programs, emphasizing on the importance of biological diversity in providing "ecosystem services" that humanity and wildlife rely on for their current and future well-being. As emphasized at the recent Millennium Development Goals meeting in New York, the continued loss of biodiversity results in the extinction of wildlife and consequent fall in food supply and famine.

It fosters concern for the global environment. Support for environmental and sustainable development programs by developing nations around the region are encouraged to protect ecosystem and conserve our natural resources for future generations.
Biodiversity is life, biodiversity is our life. The call to action and UNite to Combat Climate Change has been sounded by the United Nations. We need to be involved in conservation, reforestation and tree planting programs before we reached the tipping-point – the point of no return.

22 October 2010

DIALOGUE ON HIGHER EDUCATION


CHINA-INDIA-SINGAPORE
DIALOGUE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
26 OCTOBER 2010, TUESDAY | 8:30AM - 12:00PM
AUDITORIUM, LEVEL 2, LEE KONG CHIAN WING, UNIVERSITY HALL, NUS
21 LOWER KENT RIDGE ROAD
Our Distinguished Speakers
Mr Amit Khare
Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India

Professor Deepak Nayyar
Professor of Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India

Professor Wang Gungwu
Chairman, East Asian Institute, NUS, Singapore

Professor Yang Fujia
Chancellor, The University of Nottingham, UK

Dr Zhou Mansheng
Deputy Director-General, National Center of Education Development Research,
Ministry of Education, China

Moderated by
Professor Zheng Yongnian
Director, East Asian Institute, NUS, Singapore

12 October 2010

Hiam Health Malnutrition Centre in East Timor!




Timor Leste (TL) Facts

TL is approximately 60 minutes from Australia by plane.

TL has a population of around 1 million.Over 50 percent of children under five are malnourished. 

Approximately 100,000 children under five are malnourished and hungry.

HIAM Health is a Non Government Organisation (NGO) based in Dili East Timor (Timor Leste) working to create a future for this struggling nation in the way of education, rehabilitation and prevention of malnutrition.

 http://www.hiamhealth.org/

02 October 2010

Meeting with Canadian Ambassador to Singapore

1 George Street, Canadian High Commission in Singapore      

Meeting with our Canadian Ambassador to Singapore for an hour this past week was certainly a highlight and privilege. Mr. Sevigny provided me some great insights to his experience here and shared how prominent Canada's role is in terms of our current 400 strong business presence in Singapore.

He shared his presentation that he usually gives to community service clubs, like Rotary, so that I can too share up to date highlights and strategic areas of growth for partnerships from the Canadian government stance.

For further reading on the Ambassador's profile see: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/singapore-singapour/offices-bureaux/biography-biographie.aspx?lang=eng

For further reading on the High Commission in Singapore follow: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/singapore-singapour/index.aspx?lang=eng

I will be following up with the Ambassador in upcoming weeks as he agreed to assist me in finding appropriate research information and linking me to appropriate trade commissioners as well!