Wednesday, 17 November 2004
Canning Ballroom, Raffles City Convention Centre
Forum Programme
Forum Proceedings
SESSION I
THINKING THROUGH THE PROPOSAL
Thinking Through the Proposal
Two analysts present alternative ways in which to frame the discussion on the proposal to license a casino in Singapore – a brief but critical ‘opening act’ for the forum. The first focuses on a strategic analysis of the objectives for the proposal and the second on the adequacy of the framework of a cost-benefit analysis.
Speakers
Mr Steve Wyatt
Vice-President
Monitor Group
Professor Ten Chin Liew
Head
Department of Philosophy
National University of Singapore
Proposal for Safe and Social Gambling
What is the rationale for the proposal and what are some ways in which the proposed casino can be envisaged with safeguards to manage the oft-cited costs or ill-effects of such a development?
Speaker
Mr Ronald Tan
1 Worldhotels Limited
A Casino in Singapore – How to Make it Work
If the standard models of casinos, a la Las Vegas, Genting and Macau may not pass the cost-benefit tests for our city-state, is there an alternative that may be more suited? Can a unique and more creative model, leveraging on the country’s reputation for honesty and transparency be formed to lower the costs and maximise the benefits of having a casino in Singapore?
Speaker
Dr Larry Haverkamp
Financial Columnist
The New Paper
The Business Perspective
What would potential investors be looking for in deciding where to place their capital in Singapore and the region? What would the parameters be for making the Government proposal a viable venture and one that will also benefit Singapore?
Speaker
Mr Jonathan Galaviz
Partner
Casino Gaming Practice
Galaviz Ong & Co., Ltd
SESSION II
THE PROPOSAL AND THE ECONOMIC CASE
The Anticipated Economic Impact
What specific economic value streams will be created by the proposal? Is there any negative economic impact that should be anticipated? How will any proposed exclusionary clauses and safeguards affect the rationale, the business case and overall economic impact of the casino.
Speaker
Associate Professor Winston Koh
School of Economics and Social Sciences
Singapore Management University
The Impact of Regional Development
What is the impact of the existing and potential plans to develop the casino industry in the region on the Singapore proposal?
Speaker
Mr Sanjay Mathur
Executive Director
Asian Economics
UBS AG
Re-engineering the Tourism Industry
Are there any other tourism products or broader infrastructural projects that can be devised to meet some of the stated objectives of the casino proposal just as well?
Speaker
Mr Christopher Khoo
Managing Director
MasterConsult Services Pte Ltd
SESSION III
THE PROPOSAL AND THE SOCIAL IMPACT
Social Impact of Expanded Opportunities For Gambling – Comparative Figures
What are the comparative figures for the social impact of gambling, at all the levels, of low-risk, at-risk, problem gambling and pathological gambling? This should include the impact of the problems upon a gambler’s family, friends, colleagues and general community. The theoretical, quantitative and qualitative data should be surfaced and the problems of quantifying the psychic impact and establishing causality should be highlighted.
Speaker
Mr Tan Thuan Seng
President
Focus on the Family Singapore Limited
Social Impact of Expanded Opportunities for Gambling – Local Context
What is the social impact of the current level of opportunities for gambling and what is likely to happen if the proposal to license a casino proceeds here. What are the key concerns? What then are the options? Is the suggestion to proceed, with safeguards in place, one that can be supported, or should Singapore really draw a line under what are the current gambling opportunities and not support the proposal at all?
Speaker and Paper Contributor
Mr Gerard Ee
President
National Council of Social Service
Other Paper Contributors
Ms Pang Kee Tai
Acting Director
The Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centres
Mr Denny Ho Teck Hua
Honours Graduate
National University of Singapore
Effective Public Policy on Casinos: Containing Potential Negative Impact
Speaker
Professor Peter Collins
Director
Centre for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming
University of Salford, United Kingdom
SESSION IV
MAKING THE DECISION (OPEN FORUM)
Economics, Morality, and the Public Sphere
What are the considerations that will shape the Government’s process of decision-making on this proposal? What is its calculation of the political consequences of any decision that comes out of it, and how will it seek to manage it? A lead-in to the open forum time.
Speaker
Dr Kenneth Paul Tan
Assistant Head
Department of Political Science
National University of Singapore
For enquiries
For more information, please contact please contact Ms Lim Soh Lee at tel: 6215-1039 or email: Lim_Soh_Lee@ips.org.sg.
