It's all about change and more at the National Day Rally speech yesterday night. There has been a few firsts as well.
Other than the usual new policy changes announcement being made in the earlier part of the speech, it's also the first time slides and video clips were being used in the National Day Rally speech. About time to inject some freshness into the annual speech. And I say it's good.
Dad and I were laughing at the two videos that were being shown to drive across about having good service quality in the country. But then it has a message for us too. Service sector wise, we are still lacking behind in many countries. It's something that is needed to be addressed to. It has been reported many times in the papers and people do write to the Forum section too talking about it time and again. One of the issues that concerned the service sector in the country.
But I guess back then during the IOC Session, we showcased ourselves pretty well. At least it's a good start.
On the events of National Day, the Prime Minister also highlighted a foreign visitor's view of the National Day preview. The Singapore patrioism is just there for the German visitor who happened to get a ticket from a total stranger because of committments and he can feel it, though it's just a preview. Ain't nothing like watching the National Day Parade celebrations (like from watching from TV) to get ordinary Singaporeans like me into all-time high level of patrioism, you know. The time where I can call myself proud to be a Singaporean no matter what. It's always the little things that reminds us of who we are. Like what Dad told me before that no matter where he go in the world (to places I so want to go like London or just our neighbours in Malaysia) because of work, home is where the heart is and it's here, Singapore. I realised it the first time after the holiday trip to Kuala Lumpur and Malacca three years ago. So happy to see the familar road signs about passing through the gantries at Second Link.
So which is why back then I said that the 117th IOC Session coincides with something momental in our calendar - our country's up-coming 40th birthday then. With the redention of the National Anthem at the Opening Ceremony almost saw me crying. I will probably be crying softly at the Esplanade then if I was there. LOL. Proud to say that the 'world' (well, almost!) gathered here before. I understand the IOC will be here again in 2009 for their Congress, which is bigger than the IOC Session. 2009, the two intergrated resorts will had been opened to the public by then. That is the deadline. Construction work will begin towards the end of this year.
Making Singapore a global, vibrant city. That is the final message that is being sent across by the Prime Minister towards his end of speech yesterday night. We had seen how famous cities in the world like New York, London, Paris, Shanghai had been recreating themselves and it should be the same here too. With Marina Bay and Orchard Road as the focus for the years to come. Reinventing Orchard Road, almost into like London's Oxford Street (which Dad said yesterday night about my comment that it's the prime shopping belt in the British capital). Something that we Singaporeans can identify to and the world as well. Many know about Oxford Street and about time they know Orchard Road too. Oh yes.
In fact, I remembered the Prime Minister said about the candidate cities being reinventing themselves to keep up with the times during the Opening Ceremony of the IOC Session then.
I must be kind of silly. You know I was online like after 10pm (taking a break for a while from after watching the National Day Rally which ended 15 minutes before 10pm) and till like the wee hours of this morning, I went to search for British universities having courses relating to mass communications. You know I want to head into that area, if I ever succeed. I mean, NYP's Media Studies and Management is a Buisness course. So, there may be hope or I'm not sure. Though I really want to go there. I knew it a long time back. Way back after the O Levels that it's the path I want to go. But the results made me go another way and so, it's a U-turn now. Pursuing my dreams of in the media business. I don't care which aspect it may be, be it in TV, radio or the newspapers. Though writing is something I cannot deny I love.
Friends and ex-classmates from my BPS and KCPPS years knew me as the studious sort, you know. Teachers from both times always remember me as that kind. The girl whose English grades is better than her brother in her Sec 4 years. LOL. That is like what Mdm Kavitha told Alvin during Meet-The-Parents Session after she learnt that we are siblings. Sending him into embarrassement.
Alright. Till then, bye!
