Even before the projects have been officially presented for Singapore’s two prospective Integrated Resorts, the 15-member National Council on Problem Gambling started its two-year term on 31 August. The Council was formed after the Government set up a framework to address problem gambling last April, at the time it announced its intention to grant two casino licences. The Council will provide advice and feedback to the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports on programmes designed to educate the public and it will take decisions on funding applications for prevention and rehabilitation of gambling disorders.

Since the Asian financial crisis eight years ago, Singapore has had to reconsider some formerly held policies in order to move forward in the modern world. Licensing casinos is one way the country hopes to attract many more tourists and keep some of the gambling dollars spent abroad by its citizens inside the country. Another way has been to relax rules on real estate financing and foreign ownership, and Singapore’s property market is now showing signs of revival.

The Chairman of the National Council on Problem Gambling has been named as Mr Lim Hock San, who is presently the President and CEO of United Industrial Corporation Limited (UIC) where he has been a Director since 1992. UIC is a conglomerate with a core business of property investment and development. It also has an information technology division. Mr Lim graduated from the University of Singapore and obtained a Master of Science in Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, attending Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management programme. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK) and a Fellow, and past President, of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore.

Mr Lim is also a Director of Keppel Corporation Limited and Singapore Land Limited. Keppel Land, the property arm of the Keppel Group, announced a Memorandum of Understanding on 23 February 2005 to jointly submit with Harrah’s Asia concepts for Integrated Resorts at Sentosa and Marina Bay. As Chairman of the National Council on Problem Gambling Mr Lim will be helping the Singapore government assess the effectiveness of treatment, counselling and rehabilitation programmes. When the Casino Control Act is in place the Council will also be charged with deciding on applications for the exclusion of persons from the casino. (E-09.01.05)

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