Archive for the ‘Economic’ Category
Lighting up the sky
A long exposure reveals the colourful streaks made by remote controlled kites above a field near Clarke Quay. Members of Go Fly Kite (GFK), or otherwise known as “The Night Flyers” began playing on the field due to proximity reasons – the only shop that supplies the kites and accessories is located in Riverside Point.
Notice-able
Guerilla advertisers paste notices over a notice board along a walkway at Jurong East MRT station. Most of the notices were for rental opportunities targetting foreign workers.
These people really need the space
“They (The British) gave space to all. Now everything also cannot, there is no road out.”
A translation from Chinese of what a cobbler told me today when I asked him about the government’s long-term view of eradicating street hawker culture
In the past three days, I’ve spoken to a number of people who operate businesses on the streets (legally or illegally) and the picture I am getting is that these street hawkers have been “forced” out there for various reasons. While the authorities have been understanding of their presence (although far from encouraging), its the very people whom they co-exist with that seem to shun them most. Businesses around sometimes complain they are affect their sales, people complain they are unsightly or an obstruction… but no one really questions why they operate like that. Their livelihood clings on the economic space they have cobbled together but that economic space is constantly under threat and contest.
If there is one thread that holds them together is that they wish they did not need to operate like that. They are not proud of their existence in the streets but the least they can take comfort in is that they provide a service to the community and they are earning their own keep.
