Plan still on track to hold NDP at Sports Hub: Dr Ng
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen gives a thumbs up before departing on a 1.5 hour-long flight to observe Exercise Forging Sabre's war-games at at Luke Airforce Base and Barry M. Goldwater Range complex in Arizona. Photo: Raj Nadarajan/TODAY
ARIZONA — The National Day Parade (NDP) organisers are still “very much looking forward” to holding next year’s parade at the Sports Hub, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said earlier today (Dec 12), as he dismissed as speculation that the venue may not be secured for the parade.
TODAY had reported earlier this week that the venue for the 2016 NDP is up in the air, as the Ministry of Defence (MINDF) and Sports Hub are locked in negotiations. Based on documents seen by this newspaper, the financial impact — estimated to be at least S$19 million — of holding the parade at the Sports Hub is a major issue to be worked through.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) Exercise Forging Sabre, Dr Ng said: “I think we’ve had no hiccups in terms of NDP preparation and when we’re ready we’ll announce where the venue is. But as I’ve said we are very much looking forward to have the NDP at the stadium and if everything goes according to plan, I don’t see why we won’t hold it there.”
MINDEF and Sports Hub, which opened in June last year, had explored the possibility of hosting the 2014 NDP at the National Stadium, but that plan did not materialise due to time constraints. NDP this year, for Singapore’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, took place at two locations - the Padang, where the first NDP in 1966 was held, and the Marina Bay floating platform, to enable more spectators to be part of the occasion.
The setting up for the parade, rehearsals and the actual event are expected to take up to 80 days, stretching from June to August. The bulk of the estimated financial impact comes from rental of facilities — such as the National Stadium, OCBC Arena and OCBC Aquatic Centre — and about 30 per cent is attributed to the impact on footfall and retail sales at the Kallang Wave Mall.
