Casinos benefit Singapore

The two casinos in Singapore have created thousands of jobs and spin-offs for the tourism sector, boosting the Singapore economy, recently said two ministers. People's Action Party chairman Lim Boon Heng, who broke down two weeks ago when recalling the difficult decision he had to struggle with on the casino debate in 2005, acknowledged that the two Integrated Resorts (IRs) have benefitted the Singapore economy.

One year on after the casinos have been in operation, he said they have not only created direct jobs, but also spin-offs for the travel, food and beverage industries, said the retiring minister on the sidelines of a community event in Jurong East on Monday morning.

Citing an example of the gains from the IRs, he said: 'I think today, taxi drivers are generally quite happy because they are fully booked. All in all, it has been beneficial.'

At a press conference two weeks ago, Lim, 63, had to pause at least twice to compose himself as he recalled the 'very difficult process' he went through to accept the decision, for the sake of jobs that the integrated resorts would create, despite his opposition to gambling as an industry.

Separately, Foreign Minister George Yeo, speaking at a bloggers forum, said he did not regret the decision to go ahead with the two casinos as they have done 'a lot of good' for Singapore.'Some families will suffer but the Government will try to minimise the impact on them,' he added.

Lim also responded to Singapore Democratic Party candidate Tan Jee Say's proposals to shift away from manufacturing and focus instead on the services sectors. He said he 'fully disagreed' with Tan's suggestions as they would lead to companies moving their operations out of Singapore, and many families here depended on the sector for jobs.

Countering a charge from Tan, a former aide to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, that the PAP had lost its 'moral compass', Lim said: 'I think Tan may have lost his way... he is trapped in a time warp. He has been out of policy making decisions for quite some time. The world has moved on.'