Search Results for: Singapore

BY KEITH NUTHALL
A PHD in rocket science is not required to understand that corruption is a problem worldwide. But such a qualification – and more – would be required to devise an effective plan to fight this financial plague. The United Nations’ (UN) is drafting an international convention on corruption and asked a string of experts to write reports to illuminate some issues.…

BY MARK ROWE
IT is only four letters long but for a little word AFTA is having a big impact on the Malaysian tobacco industry. AFTA, the impending free trade block for south-east Asia, is forcing the Malaysian tobacco industry, widely regarded as having the most sophisticated (and expensive) leaf production and manufacturing infrastructure in the region, to radically overhaul the way it goes about its business.…

BY MARK ROWE
SINGAPORE is to set up what it is hailing as the world’s first specialist retailing school. The Retail Academy of Singapore will aim to improve local standards by offering up to 23,000 shop and store staff courses on consumer behaviour, merchandising, management, fashion, food, supermarket economies of scale and information technology.…

BY MARK ROWE
SINGAPORE, said to be the world’s most expensive place to buy a car, has scrapped legal requirements for would-be buyers to hand over a 30 per cent down payment on purchases. Instead of having to pay up-front fees of at least US$11,000, in future they will be able to pay for the whole car on credit.…

BY MATTHEW BRACE
WITH Australia sharing the front-line in President Bush’s war against terrorism with Britain and the USA, and also having witnessed its citizens dying in last year’s Bali nightclub terror attack, it is maybe not surprising that it has been tightening its money laundering legislation, especially as regards terrorists.…

BY MARK ROWE
THREE Belgian-owned dredgers detained for nearly seven months by Indonesian authorities for alleged illegal sand mining in the Riau islands, south of Singapore, have finally been released. Dredging International – the owner of the Lange Wapper – and Jan de Nul – the owner of the Vasco da Gama and Alexander Von Humboldt – are understood to have agreed to pay fines demanded by Indonesian authorities for the release of their dredgers.…

BY MARK ROWE
Book sales in Singapore for the Christmas period remained buoyant for larger retailers, defying the city state’s generally dismal retail climate.

Kinokuniya, one of the biggest retailers, pushed an aggressive holiday advertising and promotion campaign that helped it achieve almost 10 per cent growth for the year.…

BY MARK ROWE
SINGAPORE and Australia have reached an informal ‘general agreement’ on an open skies arrangement and formal discussions are expected to begin on liberalising the two countries’ respective air space within months. The deal could clear regulatory hurdles hindering a Qantas-Air New Zealand alliance and allow Singapore Airlines to operate direct Australia-USA-Europe direct flights.…

BY SWINEETHA DIAS WICKRAMANAYAKA
JAPAN has rejected an American government demand that it lower landing fees at its two major international airports as part of wider business deregulation, according to the Japanese Shipping & Trade News. It says that the demand was made at a meeting of government officials from the two countries on regulations and business competition.…

BY MARK ROWE
US pharmaceutical giant Schering-Plough has opened (NOTE: LAST WEEK) two drug manufacturing plants in Singapore worth Sing$320 million (Euro 231 million). A sterile facility with investments worth Sing$180 (Euro122 million) will be used for the freeze-drying, finishing and packaging of leading drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C and Crohn’s disease, which causes inflammation of the intestines.…