Good Evening and welcome to NTUC National Delegates’ Conference Opening Dinner 2015. Earlier today, the tripartite partners hosted the International Forum on Tripartism in Singapore. It showcases the importance of tripartism for sustainable growth and development. I hope it was an insightful and fruitful session for all who attended the forum.
In fact, the places you were at today, the Devan Nair Institute and now Orchid Country Club, are physical representations of our tripartite co-operation in Singapore. The Government recognised the need to ensure constant up-skilling of our workers, and provided the land and financial resources required to build the Devan Nair Institute. The Labour Movement provided the manpower and the expertise to operate the institute, while the employers show support by working with us to send their employees to the institute for training.
The Orchid Country Club (OCC) was set up with a clear social mission, to make golf accessible to all workers, regardless of their position in the workplace. OCC is the only club in Singapore which offers membership for unions to enable workers to enjoy country club facilities. The Government provided the land to build this club, unions and corporations subscribed to the club as members, allowing union members and employees to enjoy the facilities.
This dinner marks the closing of the International Forum on Tripartism. It also marks the opening of our NTUC National Delegates’ Conference. As we commence our National Delegates Conference tomorrow, the Labour Movement will be discussing our strategies moving forward under Labour Movement 2019, our next four-year plan. More significantly, our delegates will be electing a new NTUC Central Committee which will help steer NTUC towards its mission of providing better lives for workers in Singapore. They will continue to build stronger ties with the new generation of tripartite leaders to benefit our workers. I urge our tripartite partners to continue your strong partnership with the new generation of union leaders.
Tonight, we are honoured to have our Prime Minister, Brother Lee Hsien Loong as our Guest-of-Honour. PM has always been a strong supporter of the Labour Movement and tripartism. To quote Minister Lim Swee Say “PM is the tripartite leader of all tripartite leaders in Singapore”. As Prime Minister, he has placed Singapore workers at the heart of his policies, ensuring a better future for all Singapore workers. It is my pleasure now to invite him, to deliver his keynote address.
Prime Minister, please
