Great Deficit of Conscience

Many of us would feel vindicated now that Durai has finally admitted to what we all along suspected - mismanagement of public fund in a non-profit charity organisation. But what comes to mind is why do we have to wait for Durai to dig his own grave? Surely someone in NKF should know of the wrong doings and should have blown the whistle? Have the people there lost their sense of values? Or are they too fearful of Durai who could have become a tyrant after so many years at the helm?

And how about our high moral government? Suspicions of abuses in NKF did not appear overnight, they have been in circulation for several years. Are there no authorities that should look into those allegations esp. when they keep resurfacing? Have the government lost their conscience?

The dearth of conscience was again manifested when a member of the PTC (Public Transport Council?) revealed the real cause for the increased in accidents by cabbies. It is due to fatigue and not reckless driving. Sadly, neither the government nor the taxi companies are doing anything to prevent this senseless loss of lives and properties.

There is indeed a great deficit of conscience in Singapore!

Olympics 2012

BBC SPORT
6 Jul 2005

Why London won the Olympics
By Francis Keogh and Andrew Fraser

London has dramatically beaten four rival cities to win the right to stage the Olympic Games in 2012.

Paris were long considered favourites, while Madrid, Moscow and New York also submitted bids.

But after an exhaustive two-year search to find the hosts, London won the hearts of International Olympic Committee members.

So what was it that brought the Games back to the UK for the first time since 1948?

THE COE FACTOR

Olympic legend Lord Coe provided a champion's touch and just the shot in the arm London needed after a slow start under original bid leader, American Barbara Cassani.

Coe, plain Sebastian when he claimed double Olympic 1500m gold in 1980 and 1984, expertly combined his athletics experience with political nous.

He was quick to address perceived bid weaknesses like London's creaking transport system.

Coe's team was commended by Olympic inspectors for a "very high quality" bid book, having being third of the five bidding cities a year earlier.

He travelled tirelessly, used his political experience well and his background and profile helped convince IOC members London should get their vote.

With the destiny of the Games on a knife-edge, and dark horses Madrid emerging as genuine contenders alongside favourites Paris, Coe delivered the coup de grace - his passionate final plea to the voters in Singapore.

While the French capital's final presentation was steady and Madrid evoked a sunny outlook, Coe turned to youth and his belief in the Olympic ideal.

London was allowed 100 representatives in the voting hall, and in a bold move, bid leaders made sure 30 of them were young people from the capital.

They were introduced to the audience as Coe drew on personal experience to speak of the Olympic movement's ability to inspire.

It was inspired all round.

............


London's surprised victory shows one thing - we're all concerned about the young people. We want to inspire them, we want them to achieve their full potential.

From this episode Singapore government should understand that inspiring people is the best strategy to win. To bring Singapore to the next level of progress it should try firing the spirit of the people rather than to artifically importing "buzz" to the city state.