SG50 Public Holiday on 7 August 2015

14 Mar 2015

1. As Singapore marks 50 years of independence this year, the President has declared 7 August 2015 (Friday)¹ a public holiday. This will make for an extended Jubilee Weekend over the 7 to 10 August period so as to enable all Singaporeans to participate in commemorating this special milestone in our nation’s history.
2. “SG50 is a unique moment in our young nation’s history. It is a time for us to show appreciation to our pioneers, to strengthen our ties as one big Singaporean family, and to celebrate all that is special, all that we love, about our home. Many Singaporeans and organisations have come up with ideas on how to make SG50 meaningful and personal.”
3. “I am pleased that we can have the SG50 Public Holiday and a Jubilee Weekend filled with meaningful and inspiring activities, for Singaporeans to come together and celebrate as one. I hope everyone will take part in the activities and events organised around the island, and spend this special time together with your loved ones,” said Minister Heng Swee Keat, Chairman of SG50 Steering Committee.
4. Over the Jubilee Weekend, special programmes have also been prepared for Singaporeans around the island. Our museums and heritage galleries² will remain open for Singaporeans to revisit and experience afresh the journey of Singapore’s story.
5. Said Minister Heng of the Jubilee Weekend programmes, “These activities celebrate what we cherish – our aspirations to be a caring society, our values and families, our rich multi-cultural, multi-racial heritage, our achievements in the music, arts and sports, and all the places around Singapore that hold a special place in our hearts. In short, it is about our journey together as a people. I encourage everyone to enjoy the Jubilee Weekend fully, and make it a time filled with reflection, celebration, inspiration, and the love of family and home.”
   
   Programmes at Marina Bay area
6. The Jubilee Weekend will kick off with the ComChest Heartstrings Walk 2015-SG50 Community Heartbeats at Marina Bay on 7 August as an expression of our aspiration as a caring and compassionate society.
7. Special programmes will be held around the area over the weekend, including Families for Life picnics at the Marina Barrage, and aerial display performances by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Black Knights Team. Gardens by the Bay will create a floral depiction of Singapore’s Story and a SG50 edition of the Garden Rhapsody music and light show.
8. These will culminate in the National Day Parade on 9 August, which will, for the first time, span the whole Marina Bay area from Gardens by the Bay to the Padang.
   
   Programmes at Singapore Botanic Gardens
9. The Singapore Botanic Gardens will host a series of activities from 7 to 9 August showcasing the rich cultural and botanical heritage of the Gardens and shared memories of the Gardens as a much-loved civic space. Several performances will also be held on 7 to 8 August as part of NParks’ SG50 Concert Series in the Park. Visitors will be able to relive the Aneka Ragam Ra’ayat or “People’s Variety Show”, held in the Botanic Gardens in 1959, which was groundbreaking then as it was the first time that cultural performances by different races were featured in the same event.
   
   Programmes in the Parks
10. Families for Life and NParks will organise a series of picnics at the West Coast Park, Pasir Ris Park and Sembawang Park on 7 August. Both young and old can bond over food and drinks, performances and movie screenings.
    
    Programmes at Singapore Sports Hub
11. The Singapore Sports Hub will come alive with a celebration of our love for music and sports. Those who wish to enjoy some Singapore music by international and local talents can catch the Sing50 concert at the National Stadium on 7 August, featuring iconic songs popular with Singaporeans across the decades.
12. At the Sports Hub on 8 and 9 August, Singaporeans can also take part in a community carnival and enjoy local games, music and snacks from the past 50 years.
    
    Programmes Islandwide
13. All across the island, many Singaporeans have come together to organise community projects to mark our 50th year. These activities will peak over the Jubilee Weekend, with carnivals and mini-parades being held in our neighbourhoods for families, friends and neighbours to spend time together.
14. As part of SG Heart Map, Singaporeans will be treated to special bus tours on 7 and 10 August that take them to their favourite places islandwide. The stops along the tours will be composed by Singaporeans’ choices of the most endearing places around this island that we call home.
    
    Special Concessions at Public Attractions and Facilities
15. To enable Singaporeans to spend a memorable weekend with friends and family, several attractions and facilities have initiated discounted or free admission for Singaporeans over the Jubilee Weekend (7 to 10 August). These include Jurong Bird Park (50% discount); Flower Dome and Cloud Forest (50% discount, with free entry for seniors age 60 and above) at Gardens by the Bay; and free admission to the National Orchid Garden, Science Centre Singapore³ and ActiveSG swimming pools and gyms islandwide.
16. More information on the Jubilee Weekend programme calendar will be available at www.singapore50.sg.

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¹ Employers should give their employees a paid public holiday on this day, just like for any other public holiday. For more information on the Public Holiday provisions, please visit MOM’s website.
² This includes the National Museum of Singapore and Asian Civilisations Museum, the new Indian Heritage Centre, the Peranakan Museum, the Singapore Philatelic Museum, Reflections at Bukit Chandu, Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Malay Heritage Centre, Sports Museum, Civil Defence Heritage Gallery, Singapore City Gallery and Marina Barrage Sustainable Singapore Gallery.
³ Including “gated attractions” such as KidsSTOP, Snow City, Human Body Experience and the Omni-Theatre

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About Singapore50

Singapore is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its independence in 2015. It is a time to celebrate what we have been through as a nation, the little things that make us Singaporean and our hopes and dreams for the future. Singaporeans can look forward to a variety of national and community programmes in the year-long celebrations. They are also invited to plan and organise their own activities, which could be supported by the SG50 Celebrations Fund. To guide and coordinate the plans for the 50th anniversary celebrations, a Singapore50 Steering Committee has been formed, comprising representatives from the public, private and people sectors. 

For more information on SG50, please visit www.Singapore50.sg.

About Families for Life

Families for Life aims to promote strong and resilient families in a genuine and positive way. Through engaging Singaporeans about families and providing platforms for family bonding, we aim to inspire Singaporeans to renew their commitment to their families. The Families for Life Council is headed by Mr Ching Wei Hong, Chief Operating Officer, OCBC Bank.

For more information, please visit www.familiesforlife.sg and www.facebook.com/familiesforlife.sg

About NParks SG50 Concert Series in the Park

NParks’ SG50 Concert Series in the Park encompasses six free public concerts held in various parks and gardens from March to December 2015. This series of concerts will showcase a host of well-known local talents and community performing groups. Catering to both young and old, these concerts will bring nostalgic melodies to the parks with a wide repertoire of jazz, classical, evergreen classics and local favourites.

For more information, please visit www.nparks.gov.sg/sg50 or www.facebook.com/nparksbuzz.

About SG Heart Map

Home is where the heart is. Each generation of Singaporeans can name a place in Singapore which evokes special memories and warm feelings. In a unique collaboration with Singaporeans, SG Heart Map is the first-ever crowd-sourced map of the nation’s ‘heart’ and special moments. It is “drawn” by ordinary Singaporeans who are invited to share their stories of places in Singapore that are dear to them. Curated in a living, growing map that will be hosted online, as well as through a series of public events, activities and exhibitions during Singapore’s Jubilee year, it seeks to bring Singaporeans together across the generations, evoke shared memories, and inspire their hopes for Singapore’s future.

SG Heart Map is an SG50 Programme. Visit www.heartmap.sg

- See more at: http://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/Pages/PressReleasesDetail.aspx?listid=615#sthash.LCadF6xv.dpuf




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Public Holidays in 2015

Source: CNA

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Singapore Public Holidays 2015

Public Holidays 2015

		New Year's Day Thursday 1 January 2015			Chinese New Year Thursday 19 February 2015 Friday 20 February 2015			Good Friday Friday 3 April 2015
		Labour Day Friday 1 May 2015			Vesak Day  Monday 1 June 2015			Hari Raya Puasa Friday 17 July 2015
		National Day  Sunday* 9 August 2015			Hari Raya Haji  Thursday 24 September 2015			Deepavali  Tuesday 10 November 2015**
		Christmas Day Friday 25 December 2015

* The following Monday will be a public holiday

** Subject to change. Tentatively, Deepavali will fall on 10 November 2015. As with previous years, the Deepavali date on 10 November 2015 may be subject to change and will need to be reconfirmed when the Hindu Almanac is available in the first half of 2015. Should there be a change in the date, the Ministry of Manpower will issue a media release to announce the change accordingly. 

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Car rentals rise by 20% over long weekend

Car rentals rise by 20% over long weekend

    POSTED: 08 Aug 2013 5:35 PM

Some car rental companies have said car rentals have gone up by some 20 per cent over the long weekend, compared to the same period last year. The companies added that their car rental packages were sold as early as a month ago.

SINGAPORE: Some car rental companies have said car rentals have gone up by some 20 per cent over the long weekend, compared to the same period last year.

The companies added that their car rental packages were sold as early as a month ago.

Hawk Rent a Car said it has rented out some 500 cars.

At another company, Ace Drive, about 80 per cent of the customers are Muslims who have rented the cars to visit their relatives during the Hari Raya holiday.

The other 20 per cent of its customers have rented the cars to head across the Causeway.

The companies believe that the rental business will continue to increase even after the festive season.

Jesse Tan, managing director at Ace Drive, said: "Another reason is because, lately, the MAS has come out with the loan curbs... This helps to increase the (rental) demand for this period."

- CNA/xq

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Deepavali falls on 2 Nov; 4 Nov not public holiday

Deepavali falls on 2 Nov; 4 Nov not public holiday

POSTED: 10 Apr 2013 1:49 PM

Deepavali will fall on 2 November instead of 3 November, as advised by The Hindu Advisory Board.

SINGAPORE: Deepavali this year will now be on 2 November.

The Hindu Advisory Board (HAB) advised that Deepavali will fall on 2 November (Saturday) instead of 3 November 2013 (Sunday).

The Ministry of Manpower said since Deepavali is no longer on 3 November, 4 November will not be a public holiday.

Instead, 2 November will be gazetted as a public holiday.

MOM has also released the dates for 2014’s public holidays which is available on  MOM's website.

- CNA/ck

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US breaks US$1b for first time in online Black Friday shopping

US breaks US$1b for first time in online Black Friday shopping
Posted: 26 November 2012 1034 hrs
     
NEW YORK: US shoppers spent heavily online on the crucial Black Friday shopping day, for the first time topping a billion dollars in online sales in a single day, analysts and retailers said.

The four-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend is the kickoff to the US holiday shopping season, and Black Friday has long been considered the critical day that turns retailers' books from red to black.

Consumer spending makes up more than two thirds of US economic activity. So the short but busiest consumer sales season has a huge importance to the US economy for the whole year.

This year, online shoppers spent a grand total of US$1.042 billion on Friday, surpassing last year's Black Friday haul by 26 per cent, according to the consulting firm Comscore.

Another study by IBM Benchmark Digital Analytics saw an increase of 21 per cent in Internet sales, with a surge in orders of mobile devices and tablet computers, in particular.

But the new record might be short-lived.

Coming next is "CyberMonday," the day Americans go back to work and online retailers launch heavy promotions to reel in more shoppers.

"According to norms we've observed over the past three years," retail analyst ShopperTrak said, the Monday after Thanksgiving "should be the heaviest online shopping day of the season with sales approaching US$1.5 billion or even higher."

Across the four-day weekend, US shoppers spent US$59.1 billion, a jump of 13 per cent over the previous year, the National Retail Federation announced.

"It's phenomenal," NRF director Mathew Shay told reporters at a press conference, saying the numbers bode well for the holiday season despite the still-struggling economy.

American consumers spent an average of US$423 this weekend, compared to US$398 last year, the group reported.

However, the NRF did not revise its prediction for the US holiday shopping season as a whole, keeping it at a 4.1 per cent increase year on year, arguing that consumers remain cautious about the economy.

The looming threat of the "fiscal cliff," which could send taxes soaring if Republicans and Democrats do not reach a compromise on reducing the deficit before the end of the year, also had the retailers worried.

And despite the good numbers overall, sales at brick-and-mortar locations were sluggish on "Black Friday:" in-store traffic increased by 3.5 per cent on Friday with more than 307 million visitors, but total sales actually went down compared to the previous year by 1.8 per cent, according to ShopperTrak.

Some of the biggest numbers went to the stores that opened early on the Thanksgiving holiday itself -- a growing trend, especially among large chain stores, that is turning the traditionally family-based holiday into a commercial event.

"Opening on Thanksgiving was a big win," the NRF's Shay said, noting that 35 million people went shopping, a 40 per cent surge over the previous year.

Comscore also noted a jump in online Thanksgiving day sales, up 32 per cent over 2011, with US$633 million in sales, though the IMB Benchmark Digital Analytics survey saw a more modest gain of 17.4 per cent.

But ShopperTrak noted that the Thanksgiving day shopping may have undercut spending usually meant for Friday, without increasing the overall numbers.

- AFP/ck


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Half of Singaporeans find bosses unsupportive of vacation time: poll

Half of Singaporeans find bosses unsupportive of vacation time: poll
Posted: 19 November 2012 1816 hrs
 
SINGAPORE: Almost half of Singaporeans say their bosses are unsupportive of vacation time, revealed the 2012 Vacation Deprivation Study conducted by online travel company Expedia.

The annual study did an online poll with 8,500 employees across 22 countries between September 13 and October 12, including countries such as Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, US, UK, France, Australia, Japan, South Korea and India.

Latest results from the study showed 'pressure from superiors' as one of the biggest contributing factors to Singaporeans failing to clear all of their annual leave.

The study also revealed that 80 per cent of its Singapore respondents checked on work matters while on holiday, while 41 per cent have postponed vacations for work.

Worryingly, 11 per cent of Singaporeans surveyed indicated that 'work is life' for them and 14 per cent were under the impression that taking a vacation would trigger negative sentiments in the workplace.

"With the widespread global connectivity we enjoy nowadays, it is not at all surprising that Singaporeans are finding it difficult to detach themselves from work. Furthermore, there might also be a decrease in perceptions of job security that has Singaporeans put in the extra hours at work, even when away on holiday," explained Dan Lynn, CEO, AirAsiaExpedia.

Although bosses came out top in Singaporean's vacation woes, the survey also found that the inability to coordinate with family also ranked high on Singaporeans' list of vacation impediments at 32 per cent, followed by lack of planning at 21 per cent.

16 per cent also cited financial considerations as a deterrent when planning for a getaway, up 3 per cent from 2011.

Internationally, the study showed that Asia was the world's most vacation-deprived region, with employees continuing to take the fewest days off and work the longest weeks.

Japanese and Koreans workers trail the field with the average Japanese worker taking only five out of the 13 days off granted each year and South Koreans taking seven out of a possible 10 vacation days.

In contrast, workers in France, Spain, and Brazil report taking their full 30 vacation days off, while Germans take 28 of a possible 30 days off, and British, Norwegian and Swedish workers taking all 25 days they are given.

Employees in Asia also work the longest weeks with Korean, Singaporean and Taiwanese workers clocking in a staggering average of 44 hours a week.

The Dutch work only 35 hours a week, the fewest among the 22 nations surveyed.

The study also showed that an average of 50 per cent of respondents in Asia were unsure if their bosses were supportive of them taking time off, with 59 per cent of Koreans and 54 per cent of Taiwanese citing their head honchos as an obstacle to taking a holiday,

At 24 per cent, employees in India are the luckiest workers in the region when it comes to receiving positive affirmation from their bosses for taking days off.

- CNA/jc


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Malaysians among the world’s top workaholics, says survey

Tuesday November 20, 2012
Malaysians among the world’s top workaholics, says survey
By P. ARUNA
aruna@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians are proving to be among the world's biggest workaholics, with almost 90% of the workforce working even when they are on holiday.

According to Expedia's 2012 Vacation Deprivation Survey, Malaysia has the world's fourth most dedicated workforce, after India, Brazil and Italy, with employees who can't seem to “let go” of their work during vacations.

Conducted based on 8,000 employed adults from 22 countries throughout the globe, the survey also revealed that Malaysians spent about 40 hours a week at work but received only an average of 14 days of annual leave, among the lowest in the world.

The survey, by the online travel website, also found that despite the limited number of days, Malaysians, on average, did not use about 7% of their leave.

The main reasons cited by respondents for not using up their leave include the option of carrying-forward their leave to the next calendar year, and being unable to coordinate travel dates with their travel partners.

A shocking 40% of the respondents said they were reluctant to go on vacation because they feared their bosses would not be happy about it.

About 15% were worried that going on holiday would reflect negatively on their careers.

“It is worrying that so many Malaysians feel guilty about going on holiday.

“Studies have shown that employees who take regular breaks to revitalise their minds and bodies are often more productive and effective in the workplace,” said AirAsia Expedia CEO Dan Lynn in a statement yesterday.

The survey found that respondents in most developed nations had cited financial constraints as the main reason for not going on vacation.

Among Malaysians, however, only 9% of the respondents said they would sacrifice a holiday due to limited funds.

Asia proved to be the world's most “vacation-deprived” region, with Asians taking the lowest number of holidays and clocking-in the most number of hours each week.

Europeans, on the other hand, have between 25 and 30 days of leave each year, without taking into account state and religious holidays.

British, Norwegian and Swedish workers said they utilised all 25 days given to them.

The Dutch, on the other hand, work only 35 hours a week, the lowest among the 22 countries surveyed.



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Happy Deepavali!

About Deepavali and in Singapore, Deepavali falls on 27th October 2008 according to MoM.

Pictures from wikipedia.

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