I just want to make some things clear.

I only got my PDL after my FTT cos that is what the customer service officer at COmfort Driving Centre told me to do. The woman said I would not be allowed to apply for it unless I showed the person at the PDL counter the letter to certify that I had passed my FTT.

Im just typing this here to clarify things in case Ive confused anyone in the past. Ive suddenly learned, to my surprise, that you CAN take your PDL right after you have passed your BTT.

Bloody stupid Customer Service Officer. Mind you, this isn't the first time Ive been given incorrect information. I must say, this absolutely pisses me off. To think I could have started practical lessons sooner and not wasted so much time waiting for my FTT results.

Grrr...

Anyway, today the govt has announced that we're gonna have a casino! Not one, but two!!! Wahaahaa I had no idea that our beloved PM is so greedy.

I mean, S'pore is such a small country. Do we really need two casinos? Look at Malaysia. It's a much larger nation than us but they seem to be doing fine with their single Genting Highlands Resort. To me, two casinos seem like twice the trouble of one. I can just imagine two of them taking turns to vex the govt. More manpower will be needed to police two casinos. In addition to that, we don't even have the experience of handling one yet. Couldn't we at least try having one first, then perhaps re-evaluating the possibility of having another after a few years.

As usual in S'pore, everyone is kiasu. Even the S'pore govt. I can just imagine the pro-casino people thinking:

"Wah kau. Argue so long and hard only got one casino leh. Not worth it lor. Might as well push for another one. Then can earn more money. Really xuang xi lin men."

So now, well, we're stuck with another one.

I know I sound like Im against the casino, but that's not true. I feel we should have a casino, mainly because we have no choice. Note how I mean one, but not two. If S'pore doesnt have an integrated resort with a casino, it'll lose out for sure to neighbouring countries which have so much more to offer.

I mean, try imagining yourself as a tourist looking for the experience of your life. You want to go to some place where you can relax and seek out some excitement. You are thinking of S'pore, and perhaps another country. Here are some possible scenarios.

1)I want to visit a country with natural wonders.

S'pore's Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, essentially a wooded area with a very short mountain.

versus

Ayers Rock in Australia, and the Outback. One is a World Heritage Site, another a place that is larger than S'pore and has its fair share of exotic wildlife.

2)I want some place that has theme parks

The closest thing in S'pore being Sentosa, a place with attractions like the Underwater World and Fort Siloso.

versus

Hong Kong's Disneyland, a place made out of dreams where even adults act like little kids. Numerous rides and attractions.

3)I want to go shopping. I want a place with the latest boutiques and the trendiest shopping outlets.

Orchard Road.

versus

Just about anywhere. Shopping isn't that exclusive anymore. Most countries around the world have caught up to, and perhaps exceeded, S'pore. You just can't avoid that.

4)I want to go someplace to unwind and relax. I want to do nothing.

Sentosa's resorts again. White, sandy beaches and five-star service.

versus

Bali. More resorts to choose from, and definitely larger expanses of sandy beach. Some are five-star hotels.

5) I want adventure and extreme sports.

S'pore's water sports. Sorry, no mountains tall enough to be worth climbing.

versus

New Zealand. They've got all the kayaking, para-sailing and bungee jumping to satisfy the Indiana Jones in you.

6) I am a culture-vulture and historian

The Esplanade, Art Museums and other historical places-of-interest. Yes, we can milk our multi-racial society status for all its worth.

versus

Cambodia's magnificent Angkor Wat temples. It has lots of history to boot, albeit more on the tragic side. You want multi-racial, go to Malaysia too. They are just as multi-cultural as we are, if not more, if you count the indigenous tribes in Sarawak and Sabah.

Hance, as you can see, S'pore really doesn't have much. We don't have a choice. We must find some way to pull the tourists in.

Even if it means dealing with all the social ills such as broken homes, criminal activities and other undesirable elements.

It's a high price to pay in order for our nation to survive. Hence, even though I understand the need to hava a casino or two, I still don't like it any better.

And from the strained faces in Parliament I saw on the news, neither do our ministers.