Downsides of Down under
-
Dear Lupin Tan,
You have asked very interesting questions.
1) How do you define better? Admittedly, back in 1997 General Elections when PAP started to use HDB upgrading as a carrot and stick to lure voters to vote for them, I have decided back then that I should not allow my future generations to be poisoned by such political ploy. I happened to be a Cheng San voter back then. I have planned to emigrate once I have enough resources to do so.It is only in 2001 GE when I met Hougang MP Mr. Low TK, I am convinced that we could change the environment for the better. For me, it is an easy choice. It is either I do something to change the "bad" political environment so to justify my stay in Singapore or I just have to walk out, for my children sake. It is never about "greener pasture" in terms of how much I could earn. It is about the environment I want my child to grow up in.
2. You are right, I am in fact speculating why PM Lee cried when he mentioned 1968 NDP. I am not in his shoes or the worm in his stomach, I couldn't possibly know what's in his mind.
3. I have not spoken to PM Lee yet and I will ask him if I have the chance to. On what basis? From the words he mentioned. He said that nobody in that NDP turn away or ran away from the show even when there was a heavy downpour. The next natural extension is, how many of us will run away from Singapore when there is bad trouble in Singapore? To me, this is the best analogy or metaphor to his sentence.
Goh Meng Seng -
Originally posted by Haslinda Shamsudin:It was very funny. But the underlying issue — the "threat" posed by foreign talents — is not.
As a parent of two teenaged children, I am not particularly bothered if my children do not top their class, losing out to a foreign talent. Neither would I be upset if they lost, say, their badminton match to another foreign talent.
However, I am concerned if they are denied access to a good school or university. I fear that this is already the case in Singapore.
When the Government announced it would set up a Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore (now known as the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music), I was very pleased.
My thought then was that Singapore would finally have its own conservatory offering formal music education at tertiary level.
This would enable local students less academically inclined, but with a passion for music, to pursue their interest.
Later, I read a report about the make-up of the first student intake. I noticed a significant percentage were foreigners.
I can appreciate the need to attract the best talent into Singapore. I can also appreciate the argument that entry into the Conservatory is by merit. However, it is disturbing if Singaporeans are denied entry in the process.
It is fine if our children have many conservatories in Singapore to choose from. But we have only one and its intake is small.
I consider myself a patriotic Singaporean. However, I can't help feeling that sometimes, as a Singaporean, I am marginalised, all in the name of attracting the best talent.
I now wait to see how the proposed Arts School will shape up — and if foreign talents make up the bulk of its students.
Haslinda Shamsudin -
Bad experience in Australia? I think not?
Singaporeans can get by there!If you are back in Melbourne already, check out these internet cafes. I heard they are pretty decent. e55 have won some cool reviews.
e55
55 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne - (03) 9620 3899
Walk down Elizabeth Street these days and you might hear beats beckoning from underground. Follow the music down the stairs and youÂ’ll discover e55. In a big space that manages to feel cosy, e55 is like a dozen living rooms in one, filled with couches and chairs. The red walls are covered with band posters and art. There are djs every night playing styles ranging from house, hip hop, soul, funk, reggae, dub, drum n bass, beats, to the Saturday night breaks which the bar is famous for. There is Snowy Mountain on tap, or your usual beers and spirits. Try HumphreyÂ’s Cocktail, named after the regular who requested it so many times, they put it on the menu. The dozen computers with Internet access draw a few tourists, especially during the day. The rates are very reasonable, $2 for an hour of access when you buy any drink. The occasional back-packer contingent also make for a friendly atmosphere.
elounge
Level 1, 9 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne - (03) 9629 3188
Offers: Full internet access, email and WWW, Word Processing, Internet chat rooms, scanning and printing, CD duplication, network multiplayer games, gamers computer with 3D graphics, regular LAN parties organised
Global Chat
22 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne - (03) 9654 3666
Internet café. Access to email, internet, fax, word processing, scanning, network games, pre-paid mobile phone cards and budget international calls
--------------
If you are hungry for some chinese food ...
Chicken Rice - Oriental Wok, it is on a small lane. Walk from Elizabeth x Bourke St intersection. Keep on the right side. After the shop, I think B&T (used to be Sanity), walk down the lane, there are quite a few eateries there too. Be careful, you get Singapore style service, sometimes the auntie there is in a bad mood, can get scolding one!
The assam laksa is pretty authentic.
If you are driving, along Blackburn Road, near Mt Waverley, there is Nyonya Hut, the Har Mee is really good. They also sell Nyonya Kueh as dessert (Kueh dada, kueh ko sui, etc etc) -
From Miss Lim
Hi there,
I'm a malaysian born singapore citizen and I've been living in australia since early 2000 (yes, now tagged a 'quitter'). Having witnessed the vast difference in politics and the public's view of politics between the three countries which I have been much priviledged to have lived in, I must say that your website has made a significant impact. While Singaporeans are not allowed to protest (peacefully or otherwise) against the war-hungry american president or its Draconian prime minister, I do believe that your website has contributed to this otherwise sheltered society, opening its mind to more left wing ideas. Thumbs up to your good work.
From Merv
hello,
I would like to congratulate you on your well developed site. I have left Singapore for almost 4 years now and it is interesting to see what's really happening back there from someone else's perspective than the singaporean media.
it's sad to hear all that is really happening back there. well, good luck with your baby and regards. -
http://cobaltpaladin.blogspot.com/2006/08/emigration.html
Recently, read KTM's entry at SingaporeAngle regarding the subject matter. And I wonder, what could be the reasons Singaporeans emigrate? In a spur of the moment, I did think of emigrating when I felt the government's upgrading policy was divisive. If wanting a government that listens to the people and not implementing a policy that is divisive, makes me a spoilt brat like KTM said, then so be it. However, the deeper question is why do we think of emigration? The answer is actually very simple: Because we can.
With the technological advances of recent times, travelling to other countries have been made easier and affordable. In 24 hours, you practically can reach any major country of your choice. This makes physcially uprooting to another place possible and plausible now. Being able to converse in English also makes moving to another English speaking country convenient. This is greatly thanks to Singapore's education system where English language is the emphasis. If you are able to converse in Chinese, your choices would have widened further.
Globalisation has also made the world seemed a lot smaller. Look around us, we are surrounded by Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, Zara, Mango, Gucci, Channel, Agnes. b, Louis Vuitton, Apple, HP etc. Many other countries we go to now, we can find the above same brands, which helps to make the foreign land seemed a little less foreign. Living in an urban city like Singapore, make us quite capable of adapting to other foreign cities. With the advent of Internet, it makes connecting back home through e-mails, instant messaging, video chatting, VoIP a cinch. The communication channels available now is mind-boggling. Even before Internet, with the proliferation of movies and tv shows, many of us can already recognise Tokyo tower, Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, Empire State builing, New York's yellow cabs etc even if we've not physically been there. And similarly, with Internet, finding more information before moving to a foreign land is now at your finger-tips.
With globalisation, comes opportunities too. Many are able to get better paying jobs in overseas postings and placements. This may be opportunities available because you went to look for it yourself or your MNC company offered. With globalisation, comes competitions too. During the last economic downturn, many factories reloated to countries like China where labour is cheaper. If your employer offers you a choice of retrenchment or continued employment but in another country, what would be your choice?
The growing affluence of Singapore has contributed much to the emigration phenomenon too. During long weekends or school holidays, you would see a packed airport, full-flights etc. Singaporeans are a well-travelled lot. That is only the short-term group. These group did not emigrate but these escapades have opened their eyes to the foreign cultures and world which definitely have left an indelible mark in their minds.
With growing affluence, many families have also been able to send their children overseas for studies. The children may be sent to study in foreign coutries because they can't get a seat in the limited placings of local tertiary institutions or the parents believe that their children can get better tertiary education in America or Australia. When you have our children studying and living in a foreign land for years and maybe spending the best time of their lives while being there, where do you think they may hope to emigrate in future?
To address the brain-drain problem, Singapore has sought to attract and welcome foreign talents. While working here, they may find someone they love, get married and even starting a family here. Of course, the government would hope that these family nucleus would choose to stay rooted locally, but one partner being a non-Singaporean, there is an equal chance that the non-Singaporean spouse would want to return to their homeland, bringing their whole family with them. Importing foreign talents is not a zero-sum game.
I believe it is also very common for people to move from one place to another in modern times. In bigger countries, the only difference is that, they move from one state to another. Singapore is only an island, if we move, we drop into the sea already!
I agree with KTM. If the people chooses to emigrate, instead of labelling them as quitters, the government should be gracious about it and wish the people all the best, sincerely. Do not forget, our forefathers "quitted" China to come to Singapore. There can be many reasons why anyone chooses to emigrate. There is no right or wrong. It just is. This is greatly due to the world getting smaller and closer thus making more choices and opportunities available. The global population is emigrating more than ever as a whole. This phenomenon is not uniquely Singapore. How does it help when the government labels Singaporeans who emigrated as quitters? Does that make them change their mind of emigrating? No. Does that make them want to come back to Singapore more? No. On the contrary, it may even push these people further away. So what for? There is no point in calling them quitters.
This actually reminds me of the many Chinese serials where the father will yell at the son,"ÄãÓ�µ¨�¿×ß³öÕâ¸öÃÅ£¬ ÓÀÔ¶²»ÒªÔÙ»ØÀ´ (Don't you ever come back, if you dare walk out of this door)!"
Do you ever see the son walk back? No, right? The son will instead become more determined and walk out of the door.
The government would be too myopic to think that by labelling the emigrated people as quitters would solve the brain-drain problem. Do you think consumers would simply buy a product because you shouted,"You are a quitter if you don't buy my product!"? Instead, you get more people buying your product when it is better, has more features and provide great pre-post sales service.
To retain the people, make Singapore a more attractive place to live in. This can be achieved by providing better opportunities to our own people than what other foreign countries can provide. Be tolerant of a more diverse culture and opinions. Let the citizens be real stakeholders. Let our views be heard and seriously considered. I don't think the government wants its citizens who are only attracted to stay because of HDB upgrading and progress package. I don't think this is the Singapore the government wants. Many of us blog, some passionately, some vehemently. Be tolerant of alternative views and opinions of dissent.
We blog, because we care. Happy 41st birthday, Singapore! -
Singapore faces a brain drain, with more than 20 per cent of its people, mainly professionals, considering quitting the country, according to a survey released on Wednesday.
In a nine-month period, the number of Singaporeans wanting to leave the city-state permanently rose from 14 per cent to 21 per cent, market researcher ACNielsen said, comparing surveys taken in October last year and last July.
For most of the period, Singapore was in recession with employers variously invoking wage freezes, wage cuts and layoffs to fight the impact of the economic slump.
"The state of the economy may have forced many to consider other options and look to greener pastures," said Sum Yim Ling, ACNielsen's Singapore executive director for customised research services.
"Predictably, [the] majority of those who expressed an intention to migrate were the PMEBs [professionals, managers, executives and businessmen], those higher educated and in the higher income groups."
Nearly half said they wanted to go to Australia, with New Zealand a distant second at 12 per cent. Other destinations mentioned included the United States (8 per cent), Malaysia (7 per cent), China (6 per cent), and Canada (4 per cent).
The ACNielsen survey reflects other local polls showing about one in five Singaporeans has considered emigrating, citing factors such as high living costs and a stressful education system for their children.
The surveys were taken before Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong provoked a rare public outcry in Singapore with a National Day speech describing people who leave the country when the chips are down as "quitters".
Although the tiny republic shot from being a tropical backwater to one of Asia's wealthiest economies in three decades, it has not won undying loyalty from the younger generation.
Instead, economic success has produced a crop of "fair weather Singaporeans" who are not willing to fight for their country, Mr Goh said.
"Fair weather Singaporeans will run away whenever the country runs into stormy weather. I call them quitters."
Among a slew of letters to local newspapers, Lim Wee Liang wrote that Singaporeans who find the Government "does not listen to feedback, may seek a place where they will be heard - in another country".
AFP -
Australian PM says US Congress vote on Iraq aids Al-Qaeda
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/272824/1/.html
Example of a bad leader -
4 towns need carting water
"If people have to leave Kumbia, I don't know what's going to happen in Brisbane," he said.
Hi I put forward fatcs and figures and u guys use irrelvant
postings to cover mine.
Wat a gentlemen!!
U accused me that i lied aussie facing water shortage and there
are injection rooms ran by churches.
U never say sorry even i give u tons of evidences.
2.I give u more.The threat of these two small towns may
be the prelude of big troubles of cities,where millions stay.
How can u evacuate so many people,folks?
Drought feeds evacuation fears,By Tuck Thompson,April 26, 2007
--http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21621161-5005941,00.html?from=public_rss
* Two Darling Downs towns can't afford water cartage
* Some 1700 residents considered in government move
* Former Bronco Shane Webcke among 'outraged' locals
TWO towns on Queensland's Darling Downs face evacuation because they have almost run out of water and cannot afford to indefinitely cart supplies.
Senior state bureaucrats have discussed the possibility of moving residents from Leyburn, population 200, and Killarney, home to 1500 people.
One of Leyburn's two bores has run dry and there are fears the other could follow.
It is costing $8000 a week to cart water to Killarney, which is at the source of the Murray Darling river system.
Water Services Association executive director Ross Young said the Government had the power to move people.
"I'm not sure it has ever been used in Australia because of an inability to supply water in a cost-effective manner, but water is becoming increasingly scarce," he said.
"The reality is with no water, you can't live anywhere for long.
"If this goes on for years, there is a real question of how you provide water supplies to these communities."
The threat of evacuation has outraged locals, including former Bronco Shane Webcke, who owns Leyburn's only pub.
"I'll move from my hotel when Peter Beattie moves from Brisbane," he said.
"Imagine if you said no one can live in Kenmore, everyone in Kenmore has to go."
Warwick Shire Mayor Ron Bellingham called evacuation an "Armageddon solution", but admitted it was a possibility for Leyburn.
3.It cost about A$150 per capita pm for carting water,depending on distance
I read another town of more population cost A$ one million
for carting water for whole town per month >It work out $150 to 200 per capita pm.
So one family of four cost A$600 pm,just for water.
4.4 towns need carting water--http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21621508-2,00.html?from=public_rss
...The state is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars carting water for
Killarney, in Warwick Shire;
Builyan, in Calliope Shire;
Kumbia in Kingaroy Shire and
Willows Gemfields in Emerald Shire.
Local Government Minister Andrew Fraser's office released a statement saying there were "no plans in place to evacuate" the four towns.
However the comment was removed from a later statement.
In Kumbia, "there is no more water. All of the bores have run dry," Kingaroy Mayor Roger Nunn said.
But in Kumbia, nearly all the residents have rainwater tanks and council is hiring a driller for more bores.
"If people have to leave Kumbia, I don't know what's going to happen in Brisbane," he said.
5.digital map of aussie
BRISBANE AND GOLD COAST
red:Leyburn town.
black:Killarney, in Warwick Shire
6.iF U CANT SUPPLY WATER TO SMALL TOWNS,
CAN U GURANTEE WATER SUPPLY TO CITY
This is not PRC or India,men.
Water catchment of these small towns is small,compared with cities'.
This is a matter of proportions.Bigger water catchments for cities but have to supply water to millions of people .
There is 19.6% full in reservoirs
catchment area
7.Can Brisbane water last another 16 months?
Water storage drops 45 % points in last 3 years.ie,15 % points pa.
Can the current 20% provide 16 months demand?
Will the undersiable underground water , coming out due to
lower pressure, polluate reservoir water?
One reservoir ,which i forget the location,cant provide water
when water level drop to some 15% ,
because undersiable plants etc growing.....
8.Read carefully of this article from UK
I do hope sgporeans will not suffer like this UK couple.
Migrated to aussie and see their flowers dying.
Ugly gardens are small matter compared this couple
future.What is the future of any city if it
running out of water?
Am I crazy?Ask this reporter how he got this quote:
-- Meanwhile, in Australia a global crisis arrives in the back yard
By Kathy Marks in Brisbane,Published: 28 April 2007...If next summer is as dry as the last one, Brisbane will run out of water late next year...
Did I quote out of contents?
But if construction work falls behind schedule, there will be a crisis. “Frankly, it’s a close race,” says a source at the Queensland Water Commission.
Smaller towns in the region have already run dry, and are having to truck in water supplies at great expense. The government is talking about evacuating residents. .... -
Hi I put forward fatcs and figures and u guys use irrelvant
Sorry hor, you facts are figures just too boring since you can't even make a proper paragraph... so dun blame people for finding better things to post here... like on Estonia!
postings to cover mine.
Wat a gentlemen!!
-
3.2. Pressure
3.2.1. Water extraction and consumption
There are water intakes using surface, ground- and sea water (figure 3.10) (Reviews...). Surface water is extracted for water supply of Tallinn and Narva. Tallinn water supply system includes Pirita and Jägala river basins and small part of Pärnu river basin. Small extent of surface water is used also for fish rearing. The largest fish farm in Pärispea is using sea water. Its constant annual use was ca 70 million m3. In 1999 the farm did not operate (table 3.1).
Figure 3.10. Annual water extraction in million cubic meters per year, except cooling water of power stations, mining water and sea water.
Very large amount of surface water is used as cooling water in power stations of Narva (figure 3.11). Water extraction has decreased due to the decrease of electricity production and saving of water (influence of the charge for special use of water). Narva River has relatively much water compared to consumption (figure 3.12).
Water is also used for hydro-transport of ash. As precipitation exceed evaporation, discharges of excess water from ash fields had to be done for many years, depending on water amount of the year. Alkalinity of water from the fields is extremely high. Several efforts have been made to reduce the amount of water and its alkalinity. In 1999 treatment plant was built for the changing of reaction of excess water discharged from the Baltic Power Station to Narva Reservoir.
Figure 3.11. Water extraction by power plants (cooling water).
Figure 3.12. Comparison of the extracted cooling water with the runoff of Narva River.
Groundwater extraction for consumption has decreased due to saving of water and economical decline (figure 3.13, where groundwater consumption does not include water extracted from private wells. Mining water includes only the water of oil shale mines of East-Viru County). High price of water service has essentially influenced to use less water. Its result is the increase of water level of best protected and therefore most valuable Cambrian-Vendian aquifer in the regions of most intensive use - Tallinn, Kohtla-Järve, Jõhvi etc. Rise of the groundwater level has been noticed also in other aquifers (Groundwater..., 1999).
Figure 3.13. Groundwater extraction, million cubic meters per year.
Large amount of groundwater is pumped out for drainage of mines and quarries. Nearly 96% of the whole mining water is pumped in Northeast Estonia from Ordovician aquifer. In mining region the pumping of mining water has caused many inconveniences for local people. The amount of mining water depends on the precipitation and the extent of mining area. As several mines have been closed in recent years, some decrease of mining water can be expected.
Groundwater is pumped from Quaternary (Q), Devonian (D), Silurian (S), Ordovician (O), Ordovician-Cambrian (O-Cm) and Cambrian-Vendian (Cm-V) aquifers. Mining water is originating mainly from Ordovician aquifer (figure 3.14).
Only 5.9 mill. m3 or 2.6% of mining water in East-Viru County was used in 1999.
Figure 3.14. Groundwater extraction from aquifers in 1999:
A Groundwater extraction except mining water, B Mining water extraction.
Water consumption started to decrease in the beginning of 1990s, when many industries stopped in new economic conditions (table 3.1 and figure 3.15). Restrictions and orders in water protection were replaced with economic interest: companies are interested in reduction of expenses on water supply and apply saving of water, change technology towards less water consumption. People reacted to sharp increase of the water price with reduction of the use of water. In last 6-7 years many water meters have been installed in apartments, which gives sense to the saving of water at home. To save water, aged sanitary equipment and pipes inside the buildings are replaced. In agricultural regions the number of farms and inhabitants of multi-storey houses has decreased. Until the beginning of 1990s the use of water by inhabitants of rural settlements was also considered agricultural use of water. Later it was separated into domestic use. -
The pollution load from point sources is biggest in the catchment area of Gulf of Finland (excl. catchment area of Lake Peipsi, which geographically also belongs to that catchment area). Load in the catchment of Lake Peipsi has essentially decreased in recent years due to the completion of Tartu wastewater treatment plant (figure 3.22).
Larger towns, which discharge their wastewater directly into the Gulf of Finland, are Kohtla-Järve and Tallinn (figure 3.23). The population of Kohtla-Järve is smaller than that of Tallinn, but its pollution has much greater impact. Renovation of treatment plant is in progress there. Wastewater treatment plant of Tallinn has achieved excellent results. Towns with lower pollution load in the catchment of the Gulf of Finland are Paldiski, Loksa and Sillamäe. The greatest pollution source of the Gulf of Riga is Pärnu, which treatment plant has been renovated during several years. Haapsalu, Kärdla, Kuressaare etc. discharge their wastewater directly into the Belt Sea.
Figure 3.22. Pollution load from point sources according to BOD7 by catchments in 1999.
Figure 3.23. Pollution load according to BOD7 directly into the sea in 1999.
Figure 3.24 shows the treatment level of water needing treatment. The amount of wastewater has decreased throughout the years due to the decrease of water consumption. Very high percentage of mechanical treatment is caused by mining water, which is treated in large sedimentation basins. High value of biological-chemical treatment in 1992 is formed by water treated in the wastewater treatment plant of Tallinn, where coagulant was used, but no aeration tanks. In 1993-1995 aeration tanks were constructed and later improved. Therefore the efficiency of treatment has increased. At the same time there are several biological treatment plants, which efficiency is low and which need renovation. Also the total number of biological treatment plants is constantly decreasing. When 10 years ago ca 1080 treatment plants operated, then after the splitting of large collective farms into small units the number of cattle decreased as well as number of people in central settlements and several small treatment plants in rural regions were stopped.
Figure 3.24. Wastewater treatment, million m3 /year.
Decrease of pollution load from larger towns is caused by their better possibilities to construct and renew their treatment plants (figure 3.25). Kohtla-Järve treatment plant was planned as regional, i.e. also wastewater of Kiviõli, Püssi and from the middle of 1999 also Jõhvi wastewater is led there. But renovation of the treatment plant is not finished. The II stage of wastewater treatment plant of Tallinn was completed in 1997. Saku, Tabasalu, Saue etc. have joined the sewerage of Tallinn. Completion of Tartu wastewater treatment plant and enlargement of sewerage in 1998 have given good results. Narva treatment plant is gradually renewed.
Figure 3.25. Pollution load of larger towns, BOD7 , t/y
Also several smaller towns have achieved good results on wastewater treatment (Haapsalu, Tapa, Pärnu, Paide, Põlva, Türi etc.). At the same time, in smaller settlements financing of the construction of treatment plants from their own budget is rather difficult due to small number of population (figure 3.26).
Figure 3.26. Pollution load of towns according to BOD7, t/y -
The survey of drinking water supply in Estonia from the point of view of public health
Author(s): E. Indermitte, A. Saava & A. Kull
Abstract:
Access to a sufficient supply of safe drinking water is essential in maintaining public health.
The quality of water and associated health risks vary throughout the world with some regions showing contamination of drinking water by pathogens or high levels of chemical compounds, whereas elsewhere these are very low and present no problem for human health.
Considerable variations also occur on a more local level within countries.
The purpose of the study was to analyse the status of public water supply and drinking water quality in towns and rural settlements of Estonia and its possible impact on public health.
The basis of the study was the Health Protection Inspectorate database on the water suppliers and water quality.
A special study was carried out to determine fluoride content (the main toxic chemical of concern in Estonia) in drinking water.
All towns and rural settlements with water supply systems serving at least 100 inhabitants were visited and water samples were taken.
The access to public drinking water supplies by counties was analysed.
The exposure of the population to selected chemicals of concern was determined.
Estonia is characterised by a large proportion of small water supplies.
It makes the safeguarding of water quality and control complicated.
The percentage of the population exposed to toxic compounds (fluoride, boron) was small and this occurred mainly in the case of small water supplies.
At the same time a considerable amount of the population is influenced by undesirable chemicals (iron, manganese, etc.
).
These substances are non-toxic but disturb the conditions of water usage and quality of life.
The priority in planning and improving public water supply should be given to activities minimising the health risks from toxic components in drinking water. -
Estonian towns to improve water supplies through EBRD loan
Thirteen Estonian municipalities are to benefit significantly from an ECU 10.6 million loan signed yesterday in Tartu, Estonia, between the Estonian Water Company and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The project will improve the quality and reliability of water supplies and waste-water treatment services for 380,000 Estonian citizens and generate substantial environmental benefits.
At the signing, attended by Estonia’s Minister of Finance Mart Opman, Timo Makela, Director of the EBRD'S Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure Team, said: “This EBRD project enhances conditions for continued economic growth in Estonia. Reliable, high quality municipal services, such as water supply, are fundamental to the economic transition process. It is also an important step in the further decentralisation of service provision in Estonia and will significantly reduce water-borne pollution in the Baltic Sea”.
A precondition of the project was the creation of a municipality-owned, joint-stock company named Eesti Veevark AS, the Estonian Water Company (EWC), which will provide services to the water and waste-water industry.
The total project cost is ECU 45.8 million, of which the EBRD loan will finance ECU 10.6 million, the Government of Estonia ECU 4.2 million and the municipalities ECU 17.8 million. Donor grants totalling ECU 11.6 million will be contributed by EU-Phare, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, while the Nordic Environment Financing Company (NEFCO) will provide ECU 1.6 million.
The project will rehabilitate and construct sewage treatment plants and networks, water supply intakes and water supply networks. This loan agreement marks an important achievement for the EBRD in the sector and region. The borrower is a joint-stock company owned by municipalities; it is the first multi-community project in the water sector in the Baltics; and it serves as a model for future projects elsewhere in the region.
The Small Municipalities Environment Project is the EBRD's second environmental infrastructure operation in Estonia. The first, the Tallinn Water and Environment Project, was signed in September 1994. -
u can cover my postings,but cant cover the truth of aussie
drought.
Weed threatens water quality,Brian Williams, environment reporter,April 30, 2007--http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,21641631-952,00.html?from=public_rssA NOXIOUS weed is choking the Brisbane River, soaking up precious water and threatening the city's water quality.
2.what worry me is their ability to take actions!!
Brought on by drought-induced low flows, the out-of-control water hyacinth bloom has blanketed some stretches of the river for up to half a kilometre from bank to bank.
The worst outbreak is near Fernvale between Wivenhoe Dam and Brisbane's Mt Crosby water treatment plant.
Esk Shire environmental health officer Doug Phipps said he was preparing a report for the council in a bid to pressure the Government to act...
Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin said he was aware of how bad the problem was but before treatment started a solution had to be worked out between his department, Sunwater, SEQWater and Esk.
"All parties are aware of the issue and are working together to ascertain which means would best be the safest and most efficient," he said...
3.Shortage of tankers.April 28, 2007 --http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,21632829-952,00.html?from=public_rss...Warwick's Leslie Dam, at 9 per cent of capacity, feeds towns with unreliable water supplies, such as Killarney 30km east.
An additional 600,000 litres a day may have to be carted 70km south from the dam to supply Stanthorpe, which could run dry by October if there is no rain to fill Storm King Dam...
"If you can't get tankers much bigger than 30,000 litres, you start to appreciate the magnitude of the task."... -
The survey of drinking water supply in Estonia from the point of view of public health
Author(s): E. Indermitte, A. Saava & A. Kull
Abstract:
Access to a sufficient supply of safe drinking water is essential in maintaining public health.
The quality of water and associated health risks vary throughout the world with some regions showing contamination of drinking water by pathogens or high levels of chemical compounds, whereas elsewhere these are very low and present no problem for human health.
Considerable variations also occur on a more local level within countries.
The purpose of the study was to analyse the status of public water supply and drinking water quality in towns and rural settlements of Estonia and its possible impact on public health.
The basis of the study was the Health Protection Inspectorate database on the water suppliers and water quality.
A special study was carried out to determine fluoride content (the main toxic chemical of concern in Estonia) in drinking water.
All towns and rural settlements with water supply systems serving at least 100 inhabitants were visited and water samples were taken.
The access to public drinking water supplies by counties was analysed.
The exposure of the population to selected chemicals of concern was determined.
Estonia is characterised by a large proportion of small water supplies.
It makes the safeguarding of water quality and control complicated.
The percentage of the population exposed to toxic compounds (fluoride, boron) was small and this occurred mainly in the case of small water supplies.
At the same time a considerable amount of the population is influenced by undesirable chemicals (iron, manganese, etc.
).
These substances are non-toxic but disturb the conditions of water usage and quality of life.
The priority in planning and improving public water supply should be given to activities minimising the health risks from toxic components in drinking water. -
The price of water and development of water management discussed at the water day
The Ministry of the Environment in cooperation with the Estonian Water Association, the Estonian Water Enterprises Association, and the Association of Estonian Cities, will organize a conference "Estonian Water Day 2003" in the conference centre of hotel "Central" (at 7 Narva Road, Tallinn) on Monday, March 24, at 11.30 a.m.
According to Mr. Ain Lääne, Chairman of the Estonian Water Association, rapid progress has been made in Estonia since the mid-1990s at the improvement of drinking water supply and treatment of domestic waste water, however, a number of legal problems can be specified that hinter the implementation of water management plans. Those problems will be discussed at the conference by Mr. Ain Lääne of the Estonian Water Association and Mr. Enn Lenk of the Estonian Water Enterprises Association
Ms. Eva Kraav, Adviser on Environmental Economics of the Ministry of the Environment, will make a presentation concerning the price of water in Estonia as compared with the other European Union candidate states and the possibilities for future developments regarding this issue.
According to Ms. Kraav, the price of water in Estonia is among the highest of all EU candidate countries. "In 2000, the price of drinking water and sewage in Estonia was 14.7 Estonian kroon (equivalent to nearly 1 EUR). This was only exceeded by the corresponding number of Hungary where the price of water in 2000 was 16.4. Water price will undoubtedly continue increase in the future. In the developed European countries, the price of water in 1990 exceeded the Estonian number at least threefold. Water price in Estonia will continue changing towards such values," said Ms. Kraav.
For meeting the requirements specified by the water directives of the European Union, Estonia will need to spend 9200 Estonian kroon per inhabitant. Lithuania plans to meet those requirements by spending 2300 kroon per inhabitant, Poland - by 4400 and Hungary by 8300 kroon, Latvia estimates the need at up to 13,000 kroon per inhabitant.
Issues to be discussed at the conference will also include the role and possibilities of local governments at the development of water management in Estonia, the modern drinking water purification technologies, and the preservation of habitats of threatened fish species in the flowing water bodies.
The winner of the Oras Water Saving Prize of 2003, for marking achievements in the area of saving and rational use of water, will be announced at the Water Day Conference.
At the Water Day, companies active in the area of water management will also introduce themselves.
The conference "Estonian Water Day 2003" will be dedicated to the Global Freshwater Year. Everyone interested in water management and protection is invited to participate. -
Geographic features
Estonia is a low, flat country covering 45,226 square kilometers. It is about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. Estonia has a long, shallow coastline (1,393 kilometers) along the Baltic Sea, with 1,520 islands dotting the shore. The two largest islands are Saaremaa (literally, island land), at 2,673 square kilometers, and Hiiumaa, at 989 square kilometers. The two islands are favorite Estonian vacation spots. The country's highest point, Suur Munamägi (Egg Mountain), is in the hilly southeast and reaches 318 meters above sea level. Estonia is covered by about 18000 km² of forest. Arable land amounts to about 9260 km². Meadows cover about 2520 km², and pastureland covers about 1810 km². There are more than 1,400 natural and artificial lakes in Estonia. The largest of them, Lake Peipsi (3,555 km²), forms much of the border between Estonia and Russia. Located in central Estonia, Võrtsjärv is the second-largest lake (270 km²). The Narva and Emajõgi are among the most important of the country's many rivers.
Estonia has a temperate climate, with four seasons of near-equal length. Average temperatures range from 16.3 °C on the Baltic islands to 17.1 °C inland in July, the warmest month, and from -3.5 °C on the Baltic islands to -7.6 °C inland in February, the coldest month. Precipitation averages 568 millimeters per year and is heaviest in late summer.
Estonia's land border with Latvia runs 267 kilometers; the Russian border runs 290 kilometers. From 1920 to 1945, Estonia's border with Russia, set by the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty, extended beyond the Narva River in the northeast and beyond the town of Pechory (Petseri) in the southeast. This territory, amounting to some 2,300 square kilometers, was incorporated into Russia by Stalin at the end of World War II. Estonia is now disputing that territorial loss.
Environmental issues
One of the most burdensome legacies of the Soviet era is widespread environmental pollution. The worst offender in this regard was the Soviet army. Across military installations covering more than 800 km² of Estonian territory, the army dumped hundreds of thousands of tons of jet fuel into the ground, improperly disposed of toxic chemicals, and discarded outdated explosives and weapons in coastal and inland waters. In the 1990s, during the army's withdrawal from Estonia, extensive damage was done to discarded buildings and equipment. In October 1993, the Estonian Ministry of Environment issued a preliminary report summing up part of the degradation it had surveyed thus far. The report described the worst damage as having been done to Estonia's topsoil and underground water supply by the systematic dumping of jet fuel at six Soviet army air bases. At the air base near Tapa, site of the worst damage, officials estimated that six square kilometers of land were covered by a layer of fuel; 11 square kilometers of underground water were said to be contaminated. The water in the surrounding area was undrinkable. With Danish help, Estonian crews began cleaning up the site, although they estimated the likely cost to be as much as EKR4 million. The Ministry of Environment assigned a monetary cost of more than EKR10 billion to the damage to the country's topsoil and water supply. However, the ministry was able to allocate only EKR5 million in 1993 for cleanup operations.
In a 1992 government report to the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development, Estonia detailed other major environmental concerns. For instance, for several consecutive years Estonia had led the world in the production of sulfur dioxide per capita. Nearly 75 % of Estonia's air pollution was reported to come from two oil shale-based thermal power stations operating near Narva. The mining of oil shale in northeastern Estonia also left gigantic mounds of limestone dotting the region. Near the town of Sillamäe, site of a former uranium enrichment plant, about 1,200 tons of uranium and about 750 tons of thorium had been dumped into the Gulf of Finland. This was said to have caused severe health problems among area residents. In the coastal town of Paldiski, the removal of waste left by Soviet army nuclear reactors was also a major concern. The combined cost of environmental cleanup at both towns was put at more than EKR3.5 billion.
Natural hazards: flooding occurs frequently in the spring
Environment - current issues: air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products, chemicals at former Soviet military bases; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and artificial lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas are heavily affected by organic waste; coastal sea water is polluted in many locations. The HBV hydrology transport model has been used to analyze water pollution issues in Estonia's rivers and in the Baltic Sea
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol -
Viable and Environmental Benign Hydropower, Estonia
Small Hydropower Neglected for three Decades
In 1999, the share of renewables in the primary energy supply of Estonia was 12%, and 92 % of the electricity supply was fossil fuel based, produced by big thermal power stations in the North East of Estonia, fired by oil shale. Therefore, a very strong effort is needed to change the governing fossil dominated situation in the energy sector, switching from oil shale to renewables as primary energy source. There are several choices available for this conversion but recently hydropower has proved to be one of the most successful options on commercial basis.
Hydropower has been a forgotten thing in Estonia for almost 30 years, starting from the 60's and up to the regaining of national independence in the beginning of 90's. In the 60's, the bulk of small hydropower stations that had survived the destructive powers of the Second World War, were closed as not corresponding to the central energy supply doctrine of a totalitarian regime. Only the 2 –3 smallest were left to supply local space heat. After the economic upheaval of the early 90's, some enthusiasts started to refurbish small existing hydropower stations that were neglected for a long time and in a deep disrepair.
A New Start for Small Hydro
Today, the situation is radically changed due to the following circumstances which have launched a genuine boom in commercial hydropower application in Estonia:
a) The new Energy Law, which was passed in the Parliament in 1997, opened new opportunities for the use of renewable energy. It obliges the big energy monopoly Eesti Energia, covering practically all the electricity production and distribution in Estonia, to buy electric energy from small renewable energy based electricity producers at the cost of 90% of the electricity price for household consumers.
b) The oil shale based electricity price has increased steadily during the recent years, equalling at the moment to 0.06 EUR/kWh and in April 2002, it will increase to 0.07 EUR/kWh. The renewable energy plants receive 90% of this price for power sold to the grid.
c) Eesti Energia has launched a Green Energy Programme in co-operation with Estonian Fund for Nature, attracting various firms to promote renewable energy applications through buying the renewables based energy at a higher price with the bulk of the profit going to the Estonian Fund for Nature to support environmental projects.
Many Small Sites
The number of rivers and creeks in Estonia is large, more than 700, but the bulk of these are short and with a scanty volume of water flow. As Estonia is rather flat, the tilt of rivers is small and therefore the head for waterpower is usually 2 – 6 m. The technical potential of hydropower does not exceed 30 MW in Estonia. The number of existing hydropower stations in disrepair but considered to pay off the refurbishing, is about 25, with the total rated output power of some 6 MW. The number of old watermills in ruins is big as well, being around 700 with more than 500 turbines installed. About 200 of these are more or less suitable for refurbishing. In addition, there are 100 water dams that can be provided with turbines. The number of potential brand new hydropower stations is about 20. The refurbishing of old hydropower stations would make the restoration of the dammed waterbodies for their esthetical and recreational values economically viable as well.
Successful Projects
A small stock company Generaator Ltd was the first to start refurbishing old hydropower stations, having by now under its belt already stations in Saesaare (180 kW), Leevaku (60 kW) and Kotka (150 kW).
In 1997, Estonian Water Power Ltd in co-operation with Nordic Investment Bank and specialists from the company DriveTech International AB made an inventory list of 20 old hydropower stations that can be refurbished on commercial bases with the bank loan pay back period within 5 – 8 years. The evaluation for finding the most suitable turbines for the refurbished power stations gave the preference to the fully automated remote controlled propeller type compact turbines from the Finnish company Waterpumps WP OY. The peculiarity of these turbines is that the turbine and the generator are mounted on the same shaft with no need for a gearbox, closed into an underwater hermetic capsule and lowered into the water channel. This results in environmentally improved installation, reduced investment cost and improved efficiency, avoiding the need for a large building for the station.
The first pilot project for using contemporary high technology while refurbishing hydropower stations, was Kamari station (water head H = 5.1 m, water flow Q = 5 m3/sec, output power of 200 kW) in 1999. The output voltage of the generator is 400 V and the generator is linked to the 15 kV grid through a transformer. The undertaking was initiated and conducted by Estonian Water Power Ltd with co-operation of Nordic Investment Bank and Finnish Ministry of Environment. The annual energy production of this station is going to be within the range of 1.5 – 1.7 GWh and the profit level for the year 2000 was 64 000 EUR. The construction work took one year plus one year for preparatory works. The overall refurbishing cost of Kamari was 204 500 EUR and the bank loan from the Nordic Investment Bank was 179 000 EUR at the interest of 8% and with 8 years payback-period. The annual maintenance cost of the station would be about 3200 EUR. The photos on this page show the Kamari power station in full operation.
Following Kamari, the next refurbished hydropower stations have been Tudulinna (150 kW) and Joaveski (300 kW). The refurbishing process is under way for Koseveski (40 kW), Torva (80 kW) and Linnamae (1.1 MW) hydropower stations with the latter belonging to Eesti Energia. The current situation is the refurbishing process is characterised by 4 power stations with restored hydro aggregates and 3 power stations with a new fully automated remote controlled equipment from the company Waterpumps WO OY. The average cost of hydropower aggregates has been in the range of 900 - 1300 EUR/kW.
Smallest Sites Needs Pilot Project
Concerning watermills, the situation is more complicated as the cost of control system is too high compared with the turbine - generator system and therefore it is needed to either work out simplified control systems or organise a serial production of turbines, bearing in mind the high number of micropower stations. A pilot project in this power range would be Torva project with two turbines, both having 40 kW output power.
Viable and Profitable
The practical experience shows that the refurbishing of existing hydropower stations in Estonia is viable and profitable. The pay back period remains within the limits of 5 – 8 years. Often the refurbishing requires to raise the water level of dammed water bodies and therefore it is needed to carry out environment impact evaluation prior to the project start up. Very important is to provide all the refurbished power station with the fish ladders. An important asset of the refurbishing process of existing hydropower stations in Estonia is that it contributes at the same time to the restoration of the beautiful Estonian agricultural landscape, broadens the recreational area and serves to make the environment more healthy and picturesque.
Within the next five years all old hydropower stations in disrepair but viable concerning refurbishing could be refurbished.
Name and type of project Hydropower in Estonia, the Case of Kamari Small Hydropower Station
Starting year 1999
Overall costs of the project 204,500 EUR, 1023 EUR/kW for the 200 kW installed capacity
Energy amount saved 1,600,000 kWh/year
New local jobs 1
Number of similar projects 5 more realised in Estonia, many more in preparation -
ST, if you're trying to mock lionnoisy this way it's not funny.
Plus, making the page go widescreen is pissing me off. -
You mean you are even taking this guy seriously? Much less bothered to take this thread seriously after page 5.
Please refer to the previous few pages of this thread to realize that more of less the TS is not really interested in discussion, but merely as a soapbox for his crusade against Australia for some bizzare reason.
As such, my posts are as relevant as his- as in they are mere posts with links with no attempt to feed any discussion but simply to push a particular point of view at the expense of others. There is no need to feel any pity for lionnoisy, he pretty much deserves this reception.
And not to mention at least I bother to make my contribution to this thread funny.
And besides, Australia is getting boring, we need to hear more about the intestesting nation Estonia. -
I always wondered how the Aussies viewed Estonia:
Summary
We advise you to be alert to your own security in Estonia.
Exercise common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia.
The situation in Tallinn in the wake of the rioting and looting in the city centre on 26 April 2007 remains volatile. You should avoid demonstrations and large public gatherings as they may become violent. Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.
Australia has a Consulate in Tallinn headed by an Honorary Consul, which provides limited consular assistance. The Australian Embassy in Sweden provides full consular assistance to Australians in Estonia.
Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:
organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy
register your travel and contact details, so we can contact you in an emergency
subscribe to this travel advice to receive free email updates each time it's reissued. -
Riots in Estonia, shall Estonia be recovered?
Estonia arrest 600 over riots
By Nerijus Adomaitis in Estonia
April 28, 2007A SECOND night of clashes in Estonia's capital after the removal of a disputed World War Two Red Army monument led to 600 arrests and injured 96 people.
Russia has reacted furiously to the monument being moved.
Estonia has said it had become a public order menace as a focus for Estonian and Russian nationalists, and protests have mainly been by young Russian-speaking people.
Police charged protesters, fired tear gas and rubber bullets and used water cannon last night to break up gangs of youths, many in their early teens, marauding through the city.
“The situation calmed down at 2am (2300 GMT) on Saturday morning after police dispersed the crowds, and has been peaceful from that time,” police spokesman Taavi Kullerkupp said.
Some 50 premises, mostly shops, were vandalised, compared with about 100 the day before.
Baltic news agency BNS said some disturbances involving youths had broken out yesterday in the town of Johvi, in the northeast, where many Russian-speakers live.
The removal of the two-metre-high bronze statue of a World War Two Red Army soldier angered some Russian-speakers, who number about 300,000 in a country of 1.3 million.
It was taken away at dawn yesterday after riots on Thursday led to the death of one man in a stabbing.
Estonians tend to view the monument as a reminder of 50 years of Soviet occupation.
The Government also says it shows greater respect to the soldiers buried in the city centre spot to move them to a military cemetery.
Estonia said official websites had come under cyber attack and restricted access to them from outside the country.
Radio said hackers had attacked the website of the Reform Party of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, putting out a bogus apology from the head of government.
The man who died in the Thursday disturbances was stabbed by another demonstrator.
Russia, which has had troubled ties with Estonia since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, had said moving the monument was an insult to those who fought against fascism.
Additional reporting by Patrick Lannin in Stockholm -
More on Estonian riots:
TALLINN, Estonia - Riot police fired rubber bullets in a clash with hundreds of protesters in Estonia's capital Friday, as a second night of unrest broke out over the government's removal of a Soviet war monument.
Police also used a water cannon to hold off protesters, who responded by throwing bottles and rocks. Police said officers fired rubber bullets and around 100 protesters were detained.
Cars passing the site of the clashes, in Tallinn's Freedom Square, honked their horns as a sign of support for the protesters, who are mainly ethnic Russians outraged by the government's decision to remove the Bronze Soldier statue from downtown Tallinn.
Estonia's Russian-speakers — roughly one-third of the country's 1.3 million population — see the monument as a tribute to Red Army soldiers who died fighting the Nazis, but many ethnic Estonians consider it a painful reminder of hardships under Soviet rule.
Earlier, Russian lawmakers called for sanctions against Estonia after authorities removed the memorial.
The unrest followed a decision by the Estonian government to speed up the removal of the 6-foot-tall statue known as the "Bronze Soldier" and exhume the remains of Soviet soldiers buried nearby.
The statue, erected in 1947, was being held at an undisclosed location, said Andreas Kaju, a Defense Ministry adviser. The remains have not yet been exhumed.
Worst riots as independent nation
The rioting overnight Thursday was the worst Estonia has seen in 16 years of independence, leaving one dead and dozens injured, including 12 police officers, said government spokesman Martin Jasko.
About 1,500 protesters rallied peacefully for hours Thursday until a small group tried to break through a police line protecting the monument.
The riots started when protesters clashed with police in a commercial district near the monument. The violence then spread to the winding cobblestoned streets of Tallinn's medieval Old Town.
Angry demonstrators smashed windows and hurled rocks and bottles at police who tried to disperse the crowds with stun grenades. A bus shelter was set on fire as the clashes were followed by vandalism and looting. Some 300 people were detained.
The bronze monument depicts a Red Army soldier in uniform, his helmet in one hand, his head slightly bowed and his rifle slung over his back.
The center-right government had said the monument and the nearby graves should be moved to a cemetery because its location near a busy intersection was not a proper place resting place for the victims.
But critics said the real reason was to pander to nationalist movements in Estonia, to whom the memorial was a symbol of Soviet repression.
Once the remains have been exhumed and identified, they would be moved to the Defense Forces cemetery outside Tallinn, along with the statue, said Andreas Kaju, a Defense Ministry adviser. The statue, erected in 1947, was being held at an undisclosed location, he said.
Excavation work postponed
The government had hoped to begin excavation work on Friday morning, but was forced to postpone it because of the unrest.
When authorities decided to remove the statue, they stepped on one of the few remaining symbols left for minority Russians to revere _ a sense of pride in defeating Nazi Germany.
Both houses of Russia's legislature voted for enacting severe measures against Estonia _ either breaking off diplomatic relations or enforcing economic sanctions.
"The Estonian government has spat on values," Russian news agencies quoted Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as saying. "I cannot understand it when people try to lay blame for historical events on somebody, or try to compare communism with Nazism."
Soviet troops invaded the Baltic countries _ Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania _ in 1940, but were pushed out by the Nazis a year later. The Red Army retook them in 1944 and occupied them until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Some Tallinn residents said they were not surprised by the riots because ethnic Russians have felt marginalized ever since Estonia split from the Soviet Union.
"This was waiting to happen," said Epp Saar, 43, a Tallinn resident of mixed Estonian and Russian descent. "There has been a feeling for a long time that pressure has been building and things will just explode any day."
Many Russian-speakers complain of discrimination in Estonia, where strict language laws make it hard to get jobs or citizenship without proficiency in Estonian. Some Russian-speakers who were born in Estonia are either unable or unwilling to become citizens because of the language requirements.
The European Commission said it regretted the death of a demonstrator, but said it could not interfere in the matter. Estonia joined the European Union in 2004.
In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed "to all concerned to deal with the issues at hand in a spirit of respect and conciliation," U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said. -
Singaporeans attempt to migrate to Singapore
Singaporeans migrating to other countries is not a new phenomenon: it was once fashionable in Government Speeches and Newspaper articles and Columns to generalise Singaporeans into "Quitters" and "Stayers". However, it has been revealed that nowadays many Singaporeans consider migrating to Singapore rather than previous popular destinations such as Australia, America, and Batam. Professor Chutney Chua, Lecturer of Sociology at the national University of Singapore comments.
"What we have here is a situation unique to Singapore," says Prof. Chua. "It shows that Singaporeans do not mind living in their country - as long as they are considered foreign migrants rather than part of the local populace."
When asked what could have caused such a phenomenon, Prof. Chua says that it is a complex and multi-faceted issue, but suggests several main factors that revolve around foreigners automatically achieving "talented" status (rather than having to sit for GEP selection or Streaming Exams) which automatically grants them a priviledged position with regards to jobs, service, the right to protest, sex, and blonde hair.
While documented accounts of such endeavours are rare, Prof. Chua says that the efforts are most probably futile, as authentic Singaporeans are readily identified by certain traits which has been thought to result from either genetics, or the water supply at KK hospital.
"However, since I only achieved my post as lecturer after I re-migrated to Singapore from China, having migrated there from Singapore, I can see where they're coming from," Prof. Chua concludes -
The Straits Times Interactive website's poll which drew 797 responses showed 43 percent wanted to migrate because it was too stressful in Singapore, 20 percent cited limited job opportunities, and 19 percent complained of high living costs.
The rest were joining their families, or leaving because they were laid off.
Western countries were the choice destination for Singaporeans with 35 percent choosing laid-back Australia as their choice of a new home, and the US the second most popular destination with a vote of 15 percent.
Next on the list were Canada and New Zealand.
Figures from the Australian High Commission showed more than 2,000 Singaporeans were granted permanent residency (PR) in 2001, up by 400 from the previous year, the Straits Times newspaper said in a report.
In the first half of 2002 alone, 1200 Singaporeans were given PR status Down Under.
The number of Singaporeans who migrated to the US surged from 389 in 1998 to 1108 in 2001.
Last year, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong sparked a rare public outcry in the city-state when he described Singaporeans who left the country as "quitters."
"Applying for another country's PR doesn't mean we are deserting Singapore. We see ourselves as Singapore's ambassadors to other countries," said Evonne Yeo, who is planning to migrate with her family to Australia.
