SINGAPORE: The Labour Movement will not take up the offer to operate the Singapore Island Country Club's (SICC) Bukit location as a public golf course when its lease expires on Dec 31, 2021 over “financial considerations”.
Keppel Club, whose lease for its Bukit Chermin site expires on Dec 31 next year, has been offered the opportunity to operate the public course with SICC from Jan 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2030, said the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) in a joint statement on Wednesday (Oct 7).
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn 2014, it was announced that the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) would be offered the chance to manage one of the two 18-hole golf courses at SICC's Bukit location as a public golf course, when its lease expired.
It was set to be “operated by the Labour Movement for the benefit of the general public and the labour movement”, the Ministry of Law had said then.
It added: "This will ensure continued public access to golfing facilities when the Marina Bay Golf Course is phased out for redevelopment.
"However, in order to secure the extension for the 18-hole course at Bukit, SICC will have to work with the Labour Movement and conclude an agreement by the end of February 2015 on how the courses can be reconfigured, and the necessary arrangements for the sharing of facilities."
AdvertisementAdvertisement"FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS"
However, the authorities noted in the joint statement on Wednesday that NTUC had now pulled out of the offer.
“Labour Movement has informed us that, following a review, the Labour Movement has assessed that it would not be able to take up the offer to operate the course with SICC from Jan 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2030, given the financial considerations,” read the joint statement.
“With the Labour Movement’s withdrawal, there is a need for another party to operate the public golf course at SICC-Bukit after the SICC’s lease expires.”
The statement went on to add that Keppel Club had the necessary expertise and experience, and that its involvement in the operation of the public course would provide golfing access to a broader base of local golfers.
“Keppel’s involvement will be conditional upon their acceptance of the terms and conditions for the operation of the public course, which will be set out by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and Sport Singapore.”
The ministries added the Government "remains prepared" to offer SICC a lease renewal for the other 18-hole course at SICC-Bukit up to Dec 31, 2030, if both clubs are able to reach an agreement on the sharing of the courses at SICC-Bukit.
The SICC currently has two more golf courses at its Island location.
CNA has contacted SICC and NTUC for more information.
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...