Good evening, Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Sixteen years ago in 1988, Senior Minister, then the PM officially opened the NTUC Pasir Ris Resort. I still remember it clearly as I was then the Chairman of NTUC Pasir Ris Resort. SM mentioned then the need for such facilities. He said that “ by providing these facilities to the workers, NTUC is removing any sense of psychological exclusion the middle and lower income groups may otherwise feel if they were denied access to certain things in life”.
I am proud to say that NTUC Pasir Ris Resort, now renamed Downtown East, has lived up to the expectations and has continued to fulfill this role by staying relevant to the labour movement and Singaporeans.
It has done so by being sensitive and responsive to the changing needs and aspirations of workers. It used internally generated funds to continuously upgrade, develop and add new facilities to keep the resort fresh and interesting for members.
The most significant upgrading of the resort was in 1999 when the resort was redeveloped and transformed at a cost of $30 million and renamed Downtown East. It became more than a resort and was truly a one stop leisure destination, with over 40 F&B outlets, the Escape Theme Park and an entertainment centre where shows and exhibitions are held regularly.
To ensure that all these attractions are within the reach of the average Singaporeans, entry prices are deliberately kept low. Despite all the new attractions, the chalet prices have remained unchanged for union members in the last 5 years. NTUC Club, which manages Downtown East, has also absorbed the GST since 1994. Likewise, many of the fringe activities that are organised at Downtown East are either free or heavily subsidized to ensure that the average Singaporeans can have access to high quality entertainment at affordable prices. Some examples include the Lilliputian Circus, Countdown Parties and the Barney Shows.
NTUC Club has also supported the labour movement and unions in other ways. For example, it contributed $1m last year towards the Public Transport Assistance Scheme for children of families facing financial difficulties and it contributes regularly to support union social activities.
Today, we are here to witness yet another key milestone in the history of Downtown East - the official launch of Wild Wild Wet, Singapore’s largest and newest water theme park.
Built at a cost of $20m, the Wild Wild Wet complements the existing facilities at Downtown East and makes it a “must visit” destination for all Singaporeans. It boasts of several “firsts” in Singapore. Besides having some of the newest rides in the region such as the Slide Up, it is probably one of the first water parks in the region, if not the world, to use a contactless smart card for entrance into the park as well as for purchase of food, beverages and rental of lockers and floats.
Several major corporations, such as Samsung, Yakult and Walls have shown their support of the Wild Wild Wet by sponsoring the rides. The response from the members and media has also been equally encouraging. Since its opening in early June, more than 100,000 visitors had visited the park, way beyond the expectations of the management. Not surprisingly, visitorship to Downtown East, especially in June, has also gone up significantly.
The success of Downtown East and Wild Wild Wet underlines NTUC Club’s commitment to bringing the best in leisure and entertainment to our members at affordable prices.
Despite its achievements and contributions, Club’s biggest challenge in the coming years is to continue to remain relevant to the labour movement. In tandem with Singapore’s growth, workers’ expectations will continue to trend higher. Tastes and preferences will continue to change. NTUC Club therefore has to constantly be aware of new trends and changes in the leisure and entertainment fields. I am pleased to report that NTUC Club is already planning for their next development in Downtown East.
I am confident that with the strong support of the unions, NTUC Club will continue to grow and provide the best entertainment and leisure facilities and services for members. These social benefits will complement other membership privileges that the rest of the NTUC affiliates are giving to meet our members’ needs.
On this note, I congratulate all of you who have contributed to the development and success of Wild Wild Wet. I am happy to declare the Wild Wild Wet officially open.
Thank you.
