Gardens by the Bay construction will not be deferred

25 July 2008
Gardens by the Bay construction will not be deferred
By Chan Eu Imm, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Gardens by the Bay project is on track for
completion by the end of 2010.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the project is
unaffected by the government's recent decision to defer S$1.7 billion
worth of public-sector building projects – a move meant to ease the
pressure on the construction industry in Singapore.

Mr Mah was speaking to the media at the official opening of the
Singapore Garden Festival on Friday at the Suntec International
Convention and Exhibition Centre.

One of the key highlights of the Singapore Garden Festival is the
much-anticipated Singapore Orchid Show, which is jointly organised by
the Orchid Society of Southeast Asia and the National Parks Board
(NParks).

The exhibition – a teaser for the World Orchid Conference in 2011 –
covers 3,000 square metres, with over 8,000 cut orchids and some
10,000 orchid plants on display.

Singapore's Gardens by the Bay project is expected to be completed by
the time the conference is held.

"The Marina Bay Gardens work has already started, so it is not
possible to defer it. It is something that we would like to complete
around 2010, 2011 because this is part of our longer term plans to
develop the Marina Bay area, so it forms an important part of the
Marina Bay development," said Mr Mah.

Future garden festivals will be held at the Gardens by the Bay. But
for now, visitors can visit this year's festival at Suntec till
August 1.