Jacques Rogge: YOG is “perfect promotion” for Singapore
August 22nd, 2010 | 
Author: In a recent interview with BBC News, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President was asked about the ballooning costs of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) which has become a sore point of contention for an increasing number of Singaporeans.
The PAP minister in charge of the YOG Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has received much flak from the public lately for bursting the YOG budget by more than three times to a shocking $387 million dollars when he spent only $92 million dollars on social welfare projects for needy Singaporeans in the same year.
When asked by BBC News last week, Dr Vivian is adamant that his decision was right and he would still bid for the YOG at the present budget.
“I think this is not a trifling amount. But it is an amount that will give us value for money in terms of positioning ourselves, in terms of marketing ourselves, in terms of making sure we are on everyone’s radar screen the next time they make an investment decision,” Dr Vivian was quoted as saying in BBC News.
His views were echoed by Mr Rogge who cited the YOG as a “perfect promotion” for Singapore being one of the reasons for the exorbitant cost, the other two being that Singapore needs to spend to upgrade its sports venues and facilities and that there were man unexpected expenses incurred by the organizers as it is the first YOG to be held.
Mr Rogge’s explanation is unlikely to be accepted by Singaporeans who are becoming peeved at a litany of comical screw-ups in the last few days which has made Singapore a laughing stock in the eyes of the international community ranging from poor turnout at YOG events, ticketing glitches, mass food poisoning outbreak and safety lapeses.
In the meantime, more than 300 Singaporeans have signed the online petition demanding Dr Vivian apologizes for mismanaging the YOG in less than one day since it was set up.
[Please sign the petition demanding a public apology from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for mismanaging the YOG here.]
EDITORS’ NOTE:
Singaporeans, please feel free to email us to share your frustrations, anger and grievances against the YOG. Your views matter alot to us. You are a citizen of Singapore and as a citizen, you have the right to speak up. Let us be your uncensored voice and fight for your rights.
Foreign journalists, please stay tuned on our site and Facebook for the latest updates on the ground about the YOG. You can never get any authentic or accurate news from the Singapore media which is ranked a pathetic 133th in terms of press freedom by international media watchdog Reporters without Borders last year. All the papers in Singapore are owned by a single media company – Singapore Press Holdings whose Chairman is a former PAP minister Dr Tony Tan.
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http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/vivianyogapology/signatures
Posted in 
Rubbish at its best, I have personally alerted BBC to Temasek Review’s site, maybe BBC will choose to do a follow up?
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Uncle is “puzzled” (a favourite word of George Yeo and now the norm for PAP MPs and govt bodies) why everyone in parliament seems to accept the ballooning cost without showing any form of concern.
We do have the opposition and other non-PAP MPs in Parliament?
It only takes one lonely voice to raise “puzzlement” of how $387 million is worth spending in YOG compared to using money to help the poor on welfare or the upgrade our HDB estates.
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Well, I for one fully agreed with Jacques Rogge.
Where on earth do you find a country:-
1. Suck by IOC (Jacques) to host a kiddy event for close to $400 millions.
2. Show the world that we cannot organise a world-class event
– Non-existence support for torch relay
– Non-expertise in budgetary management and control
– Non-expertise in IT such that webcast server for the important
opening ceremony can crushed
– Confusion on stage during opening ceremony
– Empty concerts
3. This is probable the first – fully sold-out games’ venues full of EMPTY seats!
4. This is also probable the first in the world – same ticket can be sold multiple times
The list can go on forever … and ever!
Singaporeans should be proud of Minister Vivian and conman Jacques that put Singapore on the global radar screen to be ridicule
!
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>>It only takes one lonely voice to raise “puzzlement” of how $387 million …
…and risk kena slapped????
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20,30,40 or even 50% overrun. Fine, its reasonable. but 300%? That’s just negligent.
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From $100 million to $387 million, can’t even do simple budgeting, how can VV command being paid $2+million annually? We demand to know how the $387 million are spent! There should be accountability from the ‘Why Orgy’ organizers.
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All these flaws by the MIW have shown their true faces and incapabilities.They are good at only to use their mouths to deflect questions and mistakes to cover up their failures.We’ve been taken for a ride for too long and we shouldn’t let them to perceive us as daft and easy to hookwink anymore.Let’s stand together to make difference in effecting a change to our political climate which has been in the doldrum for far too long.I fervently wish and beseech the “GREAT DIVINITY” will rescue us in this critical moment as changes will definitely have a great impact to our future and also our younger generation.
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Of course Jacques Rogge is happy, paid to have a good time in SIN at our expense. The SIN govt is a sucker, paying its own vanity fair and someone grandiose scheme with taxpayers’ money. Singaporeans are the real losers.
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I don’t mix politics with sports. Hence, I will not relate YOG to any political issue. For a small country like Spore to be given the honour to organize and run such a massive event such as the inaugural YOG is, in my view, already a great achievement. Yes, there is budget overrun and some hicups along the way. Since this is the first time such a massive event is being held, budget overrun and some problems are to be expected. The important thing is, the problems encountered so far will resolved and the YOG will continue to be the showcase for Spore in the coming days. The IOC have entrusted our country to run this inaugural sporting event, and so far we have shown the world the execellent work done by the YOG organizers and the thousand of volunteers in ensuring that the events went as planned. So far, it has been a resounding success and I am sure all Sporeans will cast aside their political difference at least for now and support the YOG. Together, let us show the world what a small country is capable of.
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It’s a perfect promotion, when NO major sports news website mentioned a word about it.; when only the IOC members know that Singapore is a sheep that can fleece by them freely. How perfect!!
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IOC VICE PRESIDENT NG SER MIANG SUPPORTS THE ‘ILL-TREATMENT’ OF SINGAPORE SCHOOL KIDS/STUDENTS WHO WERE FORCED TO VOLUNTEER OR FORCED TO ATTEND YOG EVENTS
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The emperor’s new clothes…do i need to add more?
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Now you know why they need to host so many mega events? the lobangs in the books are already too big to be covered up, tax hikes are too slow, yearly total revenue collections also too slow, so how?
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the pap have already succeeded about how the $387m came about. By now they would have already planned what to bullshit to us. And it will sound very reasonable to unsuspecting singaporeans and they win again.
They had more than 2wks to think of an excuse. More than enough. And we will never know for a fact where the money went to. Ever.
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Of course the YOG president will say anything everything good about YOG. It is his pet project and anything negative is bad for his political career.
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Balakrishnan:”…But it is an amount that will give us value for money in terms of positioning ourselves, in terms of marketing ourselves, in terms of making sure we are on everyone’s radar screen the next time they make an investment decision,”
To spend $390 million is very expensive to pay for an advertisement.
With so many hiccups the way YOG is run, is a sure way to frighten away any potential investors to Singapore.
Their radar screen will signal red, “KEEP OFF DANGER”, when approaching Singapore
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he has worked with China government SECRETLY to impose censorship on china’s media during the 2008 olympics although he promised zero censorship before the event. LIAR. HYPOCRITE. PERIOD.
So are you expecting something different when jackass rogge work with english speaking PRC gahmen?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Rogge#Controversies
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would u guys just stop all your nonsense! u are making singaporeans a laugh stock, not the event, not our govt, not our yog.
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Aiyoh, of cos Viva the Diva says he will still bid for the YOG had they known it would cost $387m. Of cos what, not his money. He is saying essentially that even if the YOG would cost $1 billion, still bid, no worries.
Ya, YOG is perfect promotion for Singapore as a DICTATORSHIP !
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Honestly, I believe most ppl have already accepted the fact that the YOG turnout is terrible and it didnt help that real supporters couldn’t get tickets owing to the ticketing screw ups, then with the whole “ill-treatment” of volunteers and coercion.
Yes, they should totally answer to all the hiccups instead of brushing it off with lame excuses. Especially the food poisoning incident– not having a coverage on the media about it ASAP. Now, THAT, is rather distasteful. They have no right to cover up and not warn the public of safety issues like that.
Granted, the committee proved themselves to be rather incompetent in certain aspects, BUT I’m certain they are trying their best!
Let’s not try to provide bad publicity beyond Singapore. As much as I feel S’pore’s not rdy to host such an event, but what’s been done is already done. We ought to look forward instead of harping on the same things. We should try to support this event instead of putting it down. It’s actually not as bad as it seems.
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Authority willing to splurge out additonal 300 million on perfect promotion but refused to tackle flooding issue affecting the public. Worst, the man got Singapore flooded are awarded DSO by PM.
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Goverenment will increase the price of transport,HDB,gst to gain back the loss
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300 million on perfect promotion, what a waste of money
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i can basically laugh at the puny amount of 300 people who signed the petition.
If readership is so high it must have been manipulated my TEMASEK REVIEW
Temasek Review will always be biased and unfair.
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The Commonweath Games to be held in New Dehli from 02-14Oct 2010 was original estimated to cost USD500 million. Today the cost has gone sky high. It is now estimated to cost the Indian Government USD4.6 billion dollars to run the show. The Commonweath Games will see participants and officials from 71 countries. Compared this with YOG where we have participants and officials from 204 countries, the three fold increased in the budget is, in my view a reasonable amount. Of course, someone must be accountable for the increased and explain why the need for the extra money to run the show. There is need for transparency in this respect. Nevertheless, I and quite sure the YOG organizing committee will be able to account for the extra expenditure.
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That huge amount of monies for this YOG not JUSTIFIED.The figure should be at its lowest.
As almost all of the event venue’s were not new and dozens or tons of sponsorship in form of equipments,specialists and many more pouring in to accomodate this event.
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Dr Vivian Balakrishnan did everything right. $387 million dollars is a very small price to pay for promoting Singapore to the world. The rewards will be tenfold.
TR is simply biased and judging by the ppl who signed the petition, the ‘base’ supporters of TR is limited to a few petty Singaporeans. Not everyone is stupid enough to believed TR which over-hyped and sensationalized most stories.
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hahaha, a skunk calling people dog, damn funny!
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That is why FOREVER PR and PR CITIZEN has remained PR, they can simply pack their bags and leave the island when things don’t go their own way. At the least dogs can a loyal friend or a guardian compare to leeches and other forms of blood suckers.Pleae do remember every dog has its day.
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To all PR:
Want to talk here?Change to pink I/C first and stay here more then 10 year then come to talk to me! Because your are still blind!But i can tell you,even stay here for 10 year also one eye open only!
So,better keep your mouth shut and don’t try to talk blind thing here! Roger?
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[...] Jacques Rogge: YOG is “perfect promotion” for Singapore In a recent interview with BBC News, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President was asked about the ballooning costs of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) which has become a sore point of contention for an increasing number of Singaporeans. The PAP minister in charge of the YOG Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has received much flak from the [...] Read more on The Temasek Review [...]
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