News are coming in...

News are coming in...at last we know a little more about what's going on albeit bad news.

S'pore may not play host
By Terrence Voon

SINGAPORE'S troubled Sports Hub project is unlikely to be completed in time for the 2013 South-east Asia Games, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan confirmed on Wednesday.

He said the Government will not be rushed into completing the $1.87 billion project at Kallang, which has been plagued by repeated delays since a private consortium won the bid to build the 35ha facility in January last year.

'Quite frankly, I think it is unlikely that it will be ready for the 2013 SEA Games,' Dr Balakrishnan told reporters at a Youth Olympic Games event on Wednesday.

'We're still discussing with the Singapore National Olympic Council and we'll take a decision later as to whether we'll put our hands up to host the 2013 SEA Games or to consider offering ourselves as a venue in the subsequent series of Games.'

His comments came after The Straits Times reported last month that the construction hiccups had jeopardised the Republic's hosting of the SEA Games.

Dr Balakrishnan sought to explain why the delays were inevitable because the Government did not want to over-spend on the facility, which includes a 55,000-seater dome-shaped National Stadium with a retractable roof.

'I'd rather be cautious and deliberate moving forward, but not be rushed into making hasty decisions or making decisions which will cost the tax payers more in the long run,' he added.

'I still want to work within the budget that we have set out for ourselves, but in due time there will be a Sports Hub which all of us can be very proud of.'

Read the actual article and letters from the readers here:-
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_436308.html