Sarkies Road/Newton Circus/ Scotts Road District

By Hélène Vigeant
Photo by S. Chen of the Goodwood Park Hotel
(More images from this tour can be found on the CAS website's photo gallery)

Judy Smith has done it again, organizing another successful and off-the-beaten path tour, this time covering Sarkies Road, Newton Circus and Scotts Road.

We started at the Alliance Française on Sarkies Road. In Singapore, the AF provides French classes to 4,000 students a year. The Sarkies name is well known in Singapore: the three brothers built the Raffles Hotel and Agnes Joaquim, one of their relatives, is credited with having bred the world’s first cultivated Vanda hybrid, now Singapore’s official flower.

Our guide extraordinaire then led us to Newton Circus, a popular hawker center opened in 1971 and fully renovated in 2006. It incorporates the design elements and colour scheme of nearby colonial houses. The next stop was Monk’s Hill Terrace, with a lovely row of black and white units. 

We then proceeded to the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR)’s Environment building, which won the prestigious ASEAN Energy Award in 2007, before heading to Scotts Road.  Reading from her well prepared notes, Judy told us that Scotts Road was named for William G. Scott, a cousin of novelist Sir Walter Scott, and the owner of Claymore plantation that was known for producing cocoa, betel nut, nutmeg and various fruits. 

 In the 1840s, such plantations were turned into residential areas Many large villas have since been converted into restaurants, shops and spas, including the SK-II Boutique Spa at Senze Salus which graciously gave us a tour of their facility.  Judy was keeping us on track and on schedule, so we had only a brief stop at SKYBABA before reaching the Goodwood Park Hotel.

Designed in the style of the castles along the Rhine to house the German Club’s Teutonia Clubhouse, the hotel opened in 1900. When war broke out, it was confiscated by the British, then sold and finally converted to the Goodwood Park Hotel. Over the years, major renovations and remodelling have resulted in a very elegant hotel, combining modern conveniences and old-world charm. We got a rare glimpse of the Rose Marie Suite reserved for VIPs. Our enjoyable tour ended with a delicious Dim Sum at the Jia Ming Restaurant, definitely worth a return visit with family and friends.

Once again, we had a really entertaining tour while walking Out & About in Singapore with Judy.

SEVENTH ANNUAL TEDDY BEAR & TOY DRIVE 2009

By Text  by Franca Ciambella, CAS Member and 1st VP, CAS
Photos by Janey Schueller, CAS Member and President, CAS
More photos from this event can be found on the CAS website's photo gallery.

This year’s Teddy Bear & Toy Drive was, once again, a resounding success.  The seventh annual event raised nearly $20,000 and countless toys and teddies for the Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore (SCAS).  The funds that were collected will be used to acquire some much needed early education multimedia learning programs and food vouchers for the needy families, as well as securing wheelchairs and diapers for the Association.

The fund-raising activities, which were run in conjunction with the Canadian International School (CIS), included a December 3rd cocktail reception at the official residence of the Canadian High Commission where guests were entertained by Christmas carols sung by the CIS Grade 2 choir.  Many thanks to the Canadian High Commissioner, His Excellency David Sevigny and to his wife, Mrs. Mary Broderick, for opening their beautiful home and for being such gracious hosts. Many thanks also to the sponsors and donors of the Drive, Specialist Dental Group, Pratt & Whitney and the Bank of Nova Scotia, as well as numerous individual donors.

The toys and teddy bears were collected from the High Commission and the Tanjong Katong and Toh Tuck campuses of the CIS before being distributed and bringing cheer to the children at SCAS.  Many thanks to Santa Fe Relocation Services for donating their time, staff and transportation services to collect the boxes and have them delivered to the SCAS.

Finally, a special thank you to our volunteers: Katie Robinson, Megan Graff, Ben Grundy, Celeste Krochak, Tom Anderson, Andrea Mills, Calico Clark, Marta Hoyles, Doug McCreath, Rosakind DeBrass, Guy Chartier and Isabel Motyka.

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Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore (SCAS)

The Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore (SCAS) was established in 1957 to provide early intervention, special education, rehabilitation services, day activity centre programmes, vocational training and gainful employment for children and adults with cerebral palsy in Singapore.  The vision of SCAS is to be a leading regional centre for persons with cerebral palsy, helping them to realize their full potential and to lead a life with respect. 

All funds raised from the 2009 CAS Teddy Bear & Toy Drive will benefit the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC).  EIPIC was established on 1 April 2005 and provides early therapy intervention for over a hundred children aged a few months to 6 years suffering from one or more disabilities, but who have the potential of attending Special Education School or the mainstream school environment.  The Canadian community in Singapore thanks Melissa Shepherdson at SCAS and the SCAS team for their leadership and guidance with the fundraising drive this year.

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A New Way to Replace Missing Teeth…. Quickly

By Dr. Ansgar C. Cheng, Prosthodontist, Specialist Dental Group

Many of us have heard of dental implants, however, not too many of us know that there is a Canadian connection - the University of Toronto played a critical part in the development of implant dentistry! Until the 1970s, dental implants were considered experimental in Sweden. It was the University of Toronto Dental School that re-did all the basic science and clinical research and announced to the rest of the world that dental implants were a predictable treatment option in 1982. Nowadays, implant dentistry is a routine treatment modality with new developments on a regular basis.

Replacing missing teeth enables a person to enjoy a better quality of life, through being able to eat better, speak more clearly and improve their appearance, leading to more confidence and increased self-esteem.

Dental implants are analogous to a house – the implant represents the foundation, or the root of the tooth, while the crown of the tooth represents the structure of the house. The implants are placed into the jawbone and can be used to effectively replace missing teeth.

The good news for those with missing teeth is that dental implants can now be placed in hours or days, compared with the conventional method which takes several months to complete.  Instant Implants™ and Teeth-in-an-Hour-Implants™ are two of the latest developments in the field of dental implants.

Instant Implants™ enable dental implants and teeth to be placed in days, rather than months as is commonly the case. With Instant Implants™, the provisional teeth are immediately loaded onto the implants upon placement of the implants into the patient’s jawbone. The permanent teeth are then attached to the implants a few days later. It is not uncommon for our patients to walk in to the office and leave with their new teeth on the very same day.

The success rate of Instant Implants™ is dependent on the skill and experience of the specialist performing the procedure. Clinical data collected and published by Specialist Dental Group has indicated an approximately 97% success rate for this procedure.

Another benefit about Instant Implants™ is that the cost is comparable with conventional dental implants. A portion of the costs for dental implants (including Instant Implants™ and Teeth-in-an-Hour implants) may also be covered by Medisave.

With Teeth-in-an-Hour implants, dental implants and teeth can be placed in one hour and patients are able to walk out of the clinic with their new teeth on the day of surgery. The dentist plans the surgery ahead of time using 3D imaging software and the patient’s CT scan. A customized surgical guide is fabricated in Sweden and sent to Singapore about two weeks later. As a result, the surgery performed is minimally invasive and the patient heals faster. The new teeth look, feel and function like the patient’s natural teeth. A minimum of two appointments over a period of two to three weeks is required for the Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure and this procedure is more suitable for patients with multiple missing teeth.

A dental consultation which includes a thorough examination and x-rays will be needed in order to assess whether a person is a suitable candidate for Instant Implants™ or Teeth-in-an-Hour™ dental implants. Once a person is deemed to be suitable for the procedure and decides to proceed with the treatment, the new teeth can be placed as early as the same day of the consultation appointment.

Dr. Ansgar Cheng is a Prosthodontist with Specialist Dental Group™
(www.specialistdentalgroup.com) and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore. He is an Examiner with the Royal College of Dentists (Canada), and was formerly an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. He has a special interest in dental implants, crowns and cosmetic dentistry.

New Economics Foundation (nef)

By Sandra Johnson, CAS Member

Tejas and his father Iain are shown here near a glacier
In the Arctic, which has receded greatly due to climate change.

I must confess that when I was first approached to write an article about a company called the “New Economics Foundation” (nef) I had not heard of it before and I didn’t know what it was about. However, with a few easy clicks of my mouse, I was in nef’s website (www.neweconomics.org) and discovered that “nef is an independent think-and-do tank that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being.” The company’s aim is “to improve quality of life by promoting innovative solutions that challenge mainstream thinking on economic, environment and social issues.” I like it; an organization that aims to put people and the planet first.

These days it seems that many companies are just concerned about making money, and personal and environment issues take a back seat. Not only does nef put these issues in the forefront, it also actively integrates environmental sustainability and social justice into its work.

CAS member and CEO of Ewing Communications in Singapore, Iain Ewing, has a son named Tejas who grew up in Singapore and now works for nef in London, England. I contacted Tejas to find out more about the company and his role with nef.
   
SJ: Your Dad told me how proud he is of you and your new job at nef. He thinks it’s great that you are working for a company that’s trying to make a difference. What did you study at university and how did it prepare you for your role at nef?

I studied ‘Human Geography’ at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Human Geography is a very interesting subject, which aims to cover the myriad of ways in which humanity interacts with their environment. It covers everything from economic models of resource use, to the social and psychological interpretation of ‘nature’. However, I specialized in Sustainable Development, which is really about how to deal with the considerations of economic growth while giving equal emphasis to social and environmental well-being. In that sense it prepared me well for my role at nef.

SJ: When did you join the nef think-tank and what is your role there?

 I am currently Carbon Markets Coordinator at nef, which means that I deal with improving market mechanisms that aim to respond to the global climate change challenge. For example, carbon trading has been used around the world to try and bring down global emissions, but it has been rather ineffective. I try to make suggestions on how such schemes could be improved. I am currently working on an innovative idea related to private sector financing for climate change adaptation. Climate adaptation involves helping poor communities to deal with the changes in the climate that they are already facing, such as increased risks of drought, flooding or desertification.

SJ: Is this the type of job you always wanted to do?
\Yes, it really is my dream job. I have always been interested in the challenge of uniting economic, social and environmental solutions into a holistic response to the challenges our planet faces. Certainly, when India wants to bring 400 million citizens out of poverty, we can see that economic growth is about much more than just bankers and their bonuses. But such socially
equitable growth must not come at the expense of ourenvironment, otherwise our money won’t be worth very much ina destroyed world.

SJ: Please tell me about nef’s “Happy Planet Index”

This is one of the most important reports that nef hasproduced recently. It challenges the hierarchy that GDP has as a measurement of a country’s global success. We at nef ask: why should money be the only measure of how successful a nation is. This ground breaking index tries to measure well-being as an alternative indicator of success, and found that the richest countries in the world are certainly not the happiest. For example, the three happiest countries in the world, according to the extensive surveys done by nef and its partners are: Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. More information can be found at www.happyplanetindex.org

SJ: What do you think the world will be like in twenty years?

Well we will certainly be facing a warmer planet, with significantly more extreme weather events, and more variable weather patterns. In twenty years, we will see the reality of climate change. While most discussion of climate change now revolves around models and predictions, in twenty years, we can discuss climate change based on what we will be seeing around us rather than mere predictions.

I also hope that this challenge will lead us towards a world were wealth is spread more equitably, where perhaps we see the poorest people becoming richer, and the richest people being forced to make more sacrifices for the common good. If the current recession has taught us anything, I would hope that it has shown clearly that the rampant pursuit of money for its own sake always brings catastrophe in the long run, and that we need a new way of looking at how we live our lives, considering such issues as whether we are happy, fulfilled and contributing to a better world.

nef was founded in 1986 by the leaders of The OtherEconomic Summits (TOES) which forced issues such asinternational debt onto the agendas of the G7 and G8 summits. Please see http://www.neweconomics.org   for more information about this dynamic organization.