Licensing Agency Visits Singapore To Keep Abreast Of Heavy Vehicles Monitoring Technology

Roads & Transport Authority – Manal Khalid: During an official visit to Singapore, the Licensing Agency, Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), reviewed the state-of-the-art technologies used in monitoring heavy vehicles during a visit to the Singaporean Land Transport Authority and Civil Defense in a bid to acquaint with their high-quality expertise, in a step that conforms to the policy adopted by the Agency in this regard since 2009.

Ahlam Al Feel, Director of Monitoring and Enforcement, said, "The overall objective of this visit was to share expertise and enrich our knowledge in several fields & projects pursued by Singapore in monitoring and inspection, especially with regard to heavy vehicles and hazardous materials transporting vehicles, and how to deal with those flouting regulations and legislation. The selection of Singapore is due to the high similarity to the Emirate of Dubai in terms of limited geographic area compared to the high population density. Singapore is witnessing a massive technical development in various fields, especially in monitoring heavy vehicles, where a system has been practically put in place. This prompted us, as novice to this field, to examine their expertise in this area, learn from their experiences and gain positive ideas that contribute to upgrading the monitoring and enforcement process.

"During our visit to the Singapore’s Civil Defense, we have seen the huge development made in controlling hazardous materials transport vehicles in terms of the integrated system adopted to track these vehicles, and the stringent measures in place. Among the new measures adopted by them, is obliging the violating vehicles to repair the defect on the spot by directing such vehicles to the nearest technical inspection center to fix the problem," continued Al Feel.

"Land Transport Authority is adopting a deputation system in order to bring success to the joint work through cooperation with the police to deploy individuals to work at Land Transport Authority to intercept vehicles in cooperation with the Land Transport Authority staff at the inspection sites. These joint efforts enable inspection of vehicles in terms of overloading and technical malfunctions; which accordingly saves the time and effort during field inspection," explained Ahlam.

Commenting on the key results concluded during the visit and taken on board Ahlam said: “We’ve concluded to a number of positive solutions such that we can adopt and apply the best of them. These include testing heavy vehicles annually but those with more than 10 years old are tested every 6 months. Moreover, the technical re-testing of vehicles is made through 10 specialized centers distributed all over Singapore.

“The control of vehicles used in transporting hazardous materials (HazMat) in Singapore is made through a high quality tracking system where the vehicle can be remotely controlled in case of exceeding the prescribed speed limit or entering prohibited tracks or areas. Drivers of these types of vehicles are subjected to mandatory training courses held by the Singaporean Civil Defence Authority and are annually tested at the time of applying for the renewal of the driving license of such vehicles. Besides that, they adopt a policy of eliminating vehicles which have exceeded the prescribed lifetime either through keeping them but without using them on road, or exporting them abroad.
 

Dubai Womens College Hosts Singapore Students For International Collaboration

Dubai Women’s College (DWC) Business Department recently hosted 13 students from the Victoria Junior College of Singapore. The students were accompanied by Ms. Audrey Chen, Vice Principal of the college and Ms. Suriani Amran, faculty of the college. In addition two students interns from Raffles Institution, Singapore, currently attached to the Singapore consulate in Dubai, were also part of the visit.

This international collaboration was part of the ongoing efforts to impart global exposure to the finance students of DWC. The visit was initiated under the support of the Ms. Sharifa Al Junied, Consul of Singapore in Dubai and managed by Ms. Elaine Low of Fortune Travels. DWC finance students plan to visit Singapore for an international study tour in April 2011.

Dr. Monica Gallant, Chair of the Business Department, great supporter of all international exposure for DWC students, commented, “DWC is honored to host international students to learn from their experiences and share the culture of the UAE and the unique features of the college with them.”

DWC finance students made presentations to their Singaporean counterparts about the Emirati culture, UAE, Dubai as a city, economy and as a tourist destination. The visit also included a tour of DWC facilities including classrooms, the Student Centre, the library, the state of the art Fitness Centre. The two groups of students had the opportunity to have an animated discussion on their countries and their educational facilities.

Fahmida Habib, Finance faculty and the organizer from the DWC side said, “This meeting is a great start for our visit to Singapore next year when we intend to visit Victoria College. Student exchanges in all form play a major role in the development of students and in giving them the global perspective.”

Ms. Audrey Chan said, “DWC has very impressive facilities and more importantly very confident and articulate students who are excellent ambassadors for their college.” Daniel Chander, the intern from Raffles Institution added, “DWC has a sprawling campus with extensive and state of the art facilities. I am honored to be a visitor and was given a very warm welcome.”

Sara Al Doobi, Finance student who was involved in hosting this visit commented, “The Singapore students’ visit was a great experience. We met them and we had the chance to know their point of view of UAE. We also told them about our expectations about Singapore and how we are excited for our trip to Singapore as part of learning curricula.”

The visit was part of ongoing efforts by DWC faculty to promote international exchanges between Emirati students and their peers across the globe.
 

Oasis Centre Ties Up With Tourism Malaysia And Singapore Airlines To Offer Daily Ramadan Holiday Packages

Oasis Centre, widely regarded as Dubai’s friendliest mall, today announced a tie-up with the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board and Singapore Airlines to offer 64 lucky individuals special vacation packages to Malaysia during the Holy Month of Ramadan and Eid-Al-Fitr holidays.

For every AED200 spent at Oasis Centre, shoppers will receive a raffle coupon to enter the daily draw that will be held at the end of each day from 11 August – 13 September. Winners will receive a full vacation package for two, including airline tickets and a bed-and-breakfast accommodation for three days/two nights in one of the four-star hotels in Kuala Lumpur, with airport transfers.

The promotion at the Oasis Centre will also be accompanied by a variety of activities to mark the holy month. A Ramadan tent will be set up for the entire month, where shoppers and their families will be served kahwa and dates. Visitors can also enjoy an array of entertainment such as ‘colour and glitter your moon’, ‘paint the pillar of Islam’, ‘colour your masjid puzzle’, ‘traditional kahwa pot painting’, ‘zakat jar decoration’, ‘clay art’, Islamic calligraphy’, ‘rice writing’ and ‘henna painting’.

Neelesh Bhatnagar, Director, Oasis Centre, said: “Ramadan in the UAE has a special flare. As a token of appreciation to our loyal customers, we have decided to add more excitement and rewards this year to our customers’ shopping experience. Our partnership with the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board and Singapore Airlines will offer shoppers an opportunity to gain a life-time experience to visit one of the most attractive destinations in Asia.”

A country that stands out for diversity, Malaysia charms its visitors with its warm and friendly people, eclectic cultures and delightful natural wonders. The traveller can enjoy the magic of the festivals that take place there, wander around the cool hideaways in the highlands or humid mangroves, or laze on the sandy beaches.
Tuan Razali Tuan Omar, Director of Tourism Malaysia Dubai, said: “Our collaboration with Oasis Centre to offer exclusive packages during the Holy Month of Ramadan results from our profound belief in the mall’s ability to offer a unique experience to shoppers. Malaysia has a lot to offer during the holy month. As an Islamic country, visitors can perform the ‘Terawikh’ prayers that will be conducted by renowned Imams in many mosques across the country.

“Visitors can also occupy their time between Suhour and Iftar by shopping for Eid-Al-Fitr during the Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival that will continue until 16 September. Breaking their fast with some of the best food Malaysia has to offer at the popular Ramadan bazaar will serve as another key attraction.”

With a fleet exceeding 100 aircraft, Singapore Airlines has successfully positioned itself as one of the world-class carriers. A member of the Star Alliance, The Airline’s route network covers 91 cities in 37 countries spanning the five continents. It operates Twice-Daily flights from Dubai to Singapore and a Daily flight from Abu Dhabi to Singapore with excellent onward connections to five cities in Malaysia.

Richard Lee, General Manager-Gulf, Singapore Airlines, said: “This joint promotion with Oasis Centre allows us to reach out and expand our visibility to more potential customers among the shoppers. The winners will have the opportunity to experience Singapore Airlines’ premium quality customer service and product offerings.”

A mid-sized shopping mall, Oasis Centre houses a range of brands across categories, attracting customers with
its key strengths such as convenience of shopping and excellent value-for-money. Located centrally on Sheikh Zayed Road, the mall opened its doors to shoppers after a revamp in March 2009.
 

Chinese Cuisine Takes Centre Stage At This Year’s Singapore Food Festival

Chinese cuisine will be the focus of this year’s Singapore Food Festival – a 10 day gastronomic journey into the culinary delights of Singapore’s varied cuisine, taking place between July 16 and 25.

The original Chinese flavours that have pervaded Singapore for over a century were coloured largely by the early Chinese immigrants. They came, mingled and adapted the multi-culinary concepts of other migrants from India, South East Asia, the Middle East and even the West. This combined with the comfort food flavour from home and gave rise to a distinct and iconic Singapore taste, which came from a sophisticated blend of heady flavours through the years.

The distinctive flavours Singapore’s Chinese dialect groups will take centre stage at the 16th Singapore Food Festival, where signature dishes will be showcased at a raft of food venues across the island nation, from simple street stalls to high-end restaurants.

Underscoring Singapore’s reputation as a gourmand’s paradise, two restaurants located in the island nation were recognised in S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010 list. Furthermore, new restaurants by Michelin starred chefs have recently opened in Singapore’s two new multi-billion dollar Integrated Resorts.

“Each year the Singapore Food Festival celebrates a cuisine from one of Singapore’s diverse ethnic groups – this year’s festival will focus on the flavours of five Chinese dialects. This is the first time that the Singapore Food Festival will focus on specialty dishes of Singapore’s main Chinese dialect groups. Far from being a homogenous cuisine, Chinese food is very varied and can differ greatly from region to region in China. With the evolution of the Chinese diaspora in Singapore, Chinese food in Singapore has also evolved in tandem to reflect our distinct culture and heritage,” said Jason Ong, Area Director for Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), who elaborated that the local version of Hainanese Chicken Rice is one of the best examples of a dish that has taken on a distinctly local flavour.

“Showcasing these dishes at Singapore Food Festival 2010, and allowing locals and visitors to experience these dishes, is our way of honouring Singapore’s culture and heritage through food. In addition, ethnic Malay and Indian dishes will be featured by participating establishments island-wide, allowing everyone to enjoy the ethnic cuisines of Singapore,” Ong added.

STB is anticipating a record breaking number of visitors will attend this year’s food festival, which drew 350,000 tourists from across the word in 2009.

Dubai-based Singaporean Chef, Mohammad Kunhi, who is Executive Chef at the Capital Club, and a proud ambassador of Singaporean cuisine added: “With its rich flavours and multi-ethnic heritage, Singaporean food has gained interest amongst our cosmopolitan Middle Eastern guests. Singaporean cuisine reflects the ethnic diversity of our garden city, blending Malaysian, Chinese, Indonesian, Indian and Western flavours to create a unique cuisine.”

The Singapore Food Festival 2010 runs from July 16 – 25. For more information on this year’s line-up of events, please visit www.singaporefoodfestival.com
 

History Made And Records Tumble At 14th Emirates Singapore Derby

It was a historic running of the 14th Emirates Singapore Derby on Sunday, when Jolie’s Shinju became the first filly to win the race in 36 years.

With jockey Ronnie Stewart in the saddle, the daughter of Jolie’s Halo was in command throughout the race and ran on well to claim a five-length victory. The win gave her a clean sweep in all three rounds of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge.

Following the victory, Dato Dr Tan Kai Chah, the owner of Jolie’s Shinju, donated the bonus prize money he had just won to the Emirates airline-supported charities.

As the long-term title sponsor Emirates celebrated the 14th running of the Emirates Singapore Derby by raising a record sum of S$207,560 for eight voluntary welfare organisations under the umbrella of the Community Chest of Singapore.

Richard Jewsbury, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East and Australasia, said, “Since the eighth Emirates Singapore Derby, we have used the event as a platform to raise funds for the less fortunate in our society. To date, Emirates has raised more than S$800,000 for the underprivileged and we want to extend our warmest thanks to our supportive guests and donors who have made this possible.”

Dubai eGovernment CEO showcases department’s expertise and experience at Global Forum in Singapore

Dubai eGovernment took part in the annual Infocomm Media Business Exchange (imbX), after receiving an invitation from the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). On the sidelines of the event, an iGov Global Exchange Forum was organized under the theme ‘Integrating Public Services, Engaging Citizens’.Asia’s largest infocomm and media event drew 60,000 international participants from governments, the industry and media from nearly 100 countries and regions across Europe, US, Asia and the Middle East. Representing Dubai eGovernment at the event was Thani Abdullah Alzaffin, CEO of Dubai eGovernment, who showcased the experiences of Dubai eGovernment, being the first to be launched in the Arab region.Alzaffin shed light on the many unheralded achievements made over the past nine years of the eGovernment initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. He lauded the efforts made by the eGovernment team to fulfil its vision of ensuring customers access to remote services without having to physically visit department premises.Alzaffin pointed out that the eGovernment initiative had two key offerings: the public eServices offered to individuals and businesses, and the shared eServices offered to government departments and the private sector.“Combining centralization and decentralization approaches was a resounding success. On one hand, it incited departments to unleash their creative abilities in creating innovative service delivery channels, and on the other hand, maintained basic quality level in service delivery by providing central services,”, he added.
Alzaffin also spoke of the Government Resources Planning (GRP), which is the corner stone in the eIntegration process, being a unified and secure system in use at Dubai Government departments, assisting them in managing and operating the important part of their business through a back-bone support system covering Human Resources, Payroll, Finance, Purchasing, Inventory, Projects, Asset Management and related self services.He explained that GRP helps the departments focus on their core businesses while it handles the back-office operations in an effective and efficient manner, enabling them to excel in delivering their services and reduce effort made to provide systems required to manage and operate financial and logistic electronic systems. It also automates internal processes through a paperless work cycle, makes available budgetary control and fund check, optimises IT expenditure by sharing of resources across the departments, facilitates more accurate and faster end of month closure and consolidates balances of all departments, among other tasks.
 

Drydocks World – Singapore Receives Technip’s Highest Recognition For Safety

In celebration of the accident and incident free docking of VENTURER at the Drydocks World – Singapore yard, the vessel owners, Technip UK Limited, awarded the shipyard a cheque for the equivalent of SGD 23,000 (GBP 10,000). This is the highest recognition a shipyard can obtain under Technip’s Safety Incentive Scheme for docking projects.

These funds were awarded by the ship’s master, Mr. Alan Morris, and will be distributed to a charity or charities at the discretion of the shipyard’s workers who dealt with the VENTURER’s repairs and docking. Drydocks World – Singapore Pte. Ltd. (“DDW-S”) is a subsidiary of Drydocks World – Southeast Asia Pte. Limited (“DDW-SEA”), which in turn is the Southeast Asian subsidiary of Drydocks World.

This milestone project is the result of the strong synergy between the two companies which began in November 2008 with an HSE audit conducted by Technip Subsea at DDW-S yard.

The mutual confidence in both teams’ capabilities led to the award of the project to the shipyard and ultimately to its successful, timely and cost-effective completion – incident and accident free.

Mr. Ken Livingstone, Technip’s Project Manager for the VENTURER said, “I will like to take this opportunity to commend the master and crew of the VENTURER, the shipyard staff that attended to the vessel whilst in the DDW-S yard, and also the supporting superintendents who assisted me with this project, for delivering the VENTURER from the shipyard in a safe and timely manner.”

Both companies’ teams were also commended by Mr. Robin King, Senior Vice President for Technip Subsea Asia Pacific, “Well done to the teams. This is the performance to which we all continue to strive to achieve and is a great example that it can be done.”

Mr. Steve Woodward, Senior Vice President for Technip Offshore Operation Services, also praised the successful project, “This is an excellent performance which has not come about by chance. During my visit to the yard and the VENTURER last week, I observed firsthand the drive towards achieving this result. DDW-S has set the bar high for future docking projects to aspire to. Technip’s Asset Technical Department will undoubtedly use this as a springboard to match this performance worldwide. The award to the DDW-S team is well deserved as this was truly a combined and integrated effort.”

Mr. Denis Welch, CEO of DDW-SEA said, “There is no better recognition of a job well done than from a customer. Technip’s award serves to highlight the excellent work by our team at DDW-S in making safety our highest priority and encouragement to continue to improve our standards.”