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Service members with the French Foreign Legion’s 6th Light Armored Brigade and U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa step out towards an objective during a training exercise on Quartier Colonel de Chabrieres, France, May 29, 2015. Marines stationed at Moròn Air Base, Spain, conducted a seize and capture training exercise with the French infantrymen to further improve interoperability between the two NATO forces as they concurrently deploy their service members to Africa. (U.S. Marine Corps photograph by Lance Cpl. Christopher Mendoza/Released)
From left to right:
José Enrique Castillo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica
José Miguel Insulza, OAS Secretary General
Date: January 16, 2013
Place: Washington, DC
Credit: Maria Patricia Leiva/OAS
Jessie Willcox Smith, Illustrator
from A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES
by Robert Louis Stevenson
1947 edition
20/01/2022. Sydney , Australia. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss walk with Marise Payne, the Minister of Foreign Affairs as they arrive at Macquarie Bank for a Infrastructure in India Pacific Event in Sydney, Australia. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
Sandy Lane St. James, Barbados, West Indies
Barbados was under English rule from 1625 until its independence in 1966, one of the few islands in the West Indies that was not bounced from one foreign power to another. Barbados is known as the Little England of the Caribbean. The island is 166 square miles, 21 miles long and 14 miles wide. Barbados was named by Portuguese mariners as the land of bearded fig trees. The Portuguese sailors thought the gnarled, aerial roots of the fig trees looked like beards - thus it was charted in 1536 as Los Barbados or the Bearded Ones.
When the first British arrived in 1627 at present day Holetown, there were no indigenous Arawak around whatsoever. Originally covered by dense forests of bearded fig trees, the island was cleared for use in giant sugar plantations and was known as "Britain's Sugar Bowl". Some 26 forts, the remains of which are now sightseeing attractions, protected the plantations from pirates who roamed the Caribbean Sea.
Barbados has averaged about 8.7 hours of bright sunshine each day throughout a typical year. There is no rainy season. A temperature in the high 80's is considered unusually high. Barbados ocean water temperatures are deliciously warm 79-84 degrees F all year round. Barbados is approximately 1,200 miles from Miami, 2,100 miles from New York City and 300 miles from Venezuela.
In January 1946, at the end of WWII, Ronald Tree visited Barbados to stay at Sir Edward Cunard's (of the famous shipping family) home Glitter Bay. Ronald Tree, was the grandson of Marshal Field the Chicago department store scion and son of Lambert Tree who served as the Ambassador to Belgium. Ronnie Tree served in the British Parliament for 15 years. Tree was captivated by the island and within twelve months he had bought a piece of coastal land at Porters and built a magnificent home, Heron Bay. Less than ten years later, as the number of his visitors to Heron Bay escalated beyond capacity, he began to realize the enormous potential of Barbados as an exclusive tourist destination. Tree decided to buy the Sandy Lane sugar estate and factory on the St. James coast to build a hotel on what was a 1,000 feet beach front and build a golf course on the remaining land. Thus it was that Tree with a syndicate of wealthy friends designed and built Sandy Lane, a resort that opened in 1961. Beyond the resort, Tree took an interest in Barbados and its problems as it moved from a British dependency to independence in 1966. The British have left their mark on Barbados. The language is English, the sport is cricket, you drive on the left and the island has the highest literacy rate in the Caribbean.
The Sandy Lane Hotel was built of coral stone and surrounded by 380 acres of gardens. It faced a mile long sandy beach and offered billiards and a nine hole golf course - Rockley Beach Golf Club (green fee $2.50). Service and cuisine were carefully directed by a team imported from London's Claridges Hotel. When the 53-room hotel opened in 1961, Sandy Lane was considered the ultimate in Caribbean resorts. It was an elegant, exquisitely appointed and incredibly expensive jet setter's getaway spot. The opening rate was $45-50 per day for two including breakfast and dinner. In 1964 the green fee at Sandy Lane Golf Club was $3.25 per person per day. Caddies were available for 80 cents per round. Nicholas Behard, formerly of Claridge's, was the Sandy Lane manager in early 60's. Later Behard ran the Intercontinental Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand. Henry C. Petteys was the Manager also in the mid-60's. Petteys was manager of the Black Point Inn in Maine in the 70's.
Sandy Lane architects were "Happy" Robertson Ward and locally Jimmy Walker. Happy Ward's resort projects were designed to harmonize with their settings and were known for their use of coral stone and other natural materials. Robertson earlier designed the Mill Reef Club in Antigua, the Samanna in St. Martin and the Cotton Bay Club in Eleuthera. Said Ward of his design for the neo-Palladian style hotel, "I put myself in the position of a well-educated English gentleman of the late 18th century going to the West Indies to build a Great House."
The Sandy Lane Hotel legal owner was West Coast Development LTD and had a Canadian director, James A. Gairdner, a Toronto investment dealer. By 1963 Ronald Tree and West Coast Ltd were selling plots on the 378-acre Sandy Lane Estate for residential retirement or holiday homes. The sites at Sandy Lane were selling at $6,000 to $12,000 per acre in 1963. In the 60's everyone who was anyone came to stay. Aristotle Onassis, Maria Callas, Claudette Colbert, Greta Garbo. David Niven dreamed up cocktails at the bar, and Elton John once adhered to the New Year's Eve black-tie rule by wearing a bow tie as a garter. Other regulars included Sidney Poitier, Mick Jagger, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II, and Frank Sinatra.
Ronald Tree sold the Sandy Lane Hotel in 1967 to Trust Houses which owned many of England's oldest and most famous hotels, including Brown's, The Cavendish, the Hyde Park Hotel, and the Grosvenor House. By 1970 Trust Houses had merged with Carmine Monforte, later known as Charles Forte. Forte started with a chain of ice cream shops and was the first to contract for food service at Heathrow Airport in 1955. By the mid-60's he purchase three of the finest hotels in Paris, the George V, Plaza Athenee, and Hotel de la Tremoille. Trust Houses became Trusthouse Forte (THF), then the largest hotel company in the world. Sandy Lane was a special favorite of Trusthouse Forte head Lord Forte, who frequented it often. Guy Macpherson was from 1971-74 the general manager at Sandy Lane Hotel. He later moved to Trust House Forte at its London headquarters.
In 1996 Granada plc was successful with its hostile takeover of THF. In 1997 Granada sold the Sandy Lane for approximately US $50 million to five Irish businessmen, including J. P. McManus, Dermot Desmond and John Magnier. The new owners are affectionately known as the "Coolmore mafia" - Coolmore is where they stable their race horses in Ireland. Dermot Desmond is the chairman of the board.
Due to the wear of over 30 years and several structural problems, the jet setter resort playground of the 60's was demolished then rebuilt and expanded, in the same neo-Palladian style as the original, complete with its white coral stone rotunda - albeit larger and even more luxurious. At the peak of construction, 1,400 people from 40 countries worked on the site. In March 2001 the hotel reopened.
The new Sandy Lane modus operandi was to spare no expense in the drive to be unrivaled. General Manager Colm Hannon was quoted - "The budget went out the window very early in the project." During the 3 year closure the old building was knocked down and then put back up, right down to the rusticated archways and distinctive roofline cornices - but with a level of luxury intended to put Sandy Lane on a par with the world's, not just the Caribbean's, top resorts. Dermot Desmond cherry-picked the world's top hotels and resorts for ideas. Taking a cue from a hotel in Dubai he had tunnels dug beneath the buildings for the housekeeping and room-service carts so guests wouldn't see (or hear) them trundling down the halls. He went through mock-up room after mock-up room. Sandy Lane has perhaps the most beautiful and luxurious guest rooms in the Caribbean. Desmond had to be sold on the spa--it wasn't part of the original plan--but when he bought in, he did so in characteristic fashion: "Build the best spa in the Caribbean," he told interior designer Fiona Thompson. Thompson (principal with Richmond International) was also the lead interior designer for the Moscow Four Seasons, Shangri-La Singapore and the Langham in London. Desmond built the largest spa in the Caribbean, a 47,000-square-foot building with a Las Vegasy faux waterfall in front that flows into the 7,500-square-foot resort pool. When the hotel re-opened in 2001 it was said up to 50% of the passengers on the Concorde flights from London were transported to the Sandy Lane. The Concorde's last flight to Barbados was on November 17th 2003.
The plan to cover the costs of the 112-room resort was to sell 110 vacant lots surrounding the resort and golf courses with price tags of around US $3 million each. The sites would include membership in the Tom Fazio-designed private golf club, the Green Monkey. US $25 million went into the Green Monkey's construction. Carved out of an abandoned coral quarry and flanked by mature mahogany trees, the Green Monkey is all about dramatic changes in elevation. The ninth hole par five has a 100-foot drop to the green on your third shot. The super exclusive Green Monkey golf course has a separate apparel line that can only be purchased after completion of a round of golf at $450 each. The course is named from one of Barbados’ most famous residents - the green monkey. The green monkey was initially brought over to Barbados as a pet from regions of West Africa during the slave trade over 350 years ago. Many monkeys then escaped or were released and became ‘naturalized’ in Barbados.
The original 18-hole course built in 1961 was reduced in size to a nine-hole layout known as The Old Nine and nicknamed "Tough Augusta." The par-36 course is known for its postage-stamp greens and tight tree-lined fairways. Part of the reclaimed original course was then reshaped into the new Country Club Course, an 18-hole Tom Fazio track that, unlike the Green Monkey, welcomes the general public. The 7,060 yard Country Club Course incorporates five lakes and grand vistas of the turquoise Caribbean. It is said you could steer the Queen Mary through the ultra wide fairways. This is resort golf so the intention is to make guests happy about golf. The scorecard cleverly names each of the five tee blocks: Ability, 7060 yards; Hope, 6542 yards; Humility, 6107 yards; Respect, 5661 yards and Reality, 5089.
On October 5, 2004, golfer Tiger Woods married his Swedish fiancée Elin Nordegren on Sandy Lane's Green Monkey golf course. The rock group Hootie and the Blowfish performed under a tent located on the course. Woods and Dermot Desmond are friends - Desmond paid at auction in 2000 $1.5 million just to get Woods to sign a flag from Pebble Beach where he won the U.S. Open. On a side-note the Sandy Lane owners ( Coolmore) purchased a 2 year old colt at auction in 2006 for $16 million. They named the horse Green Monkey, after their golf course. At the time Green Monkey was the most expensive thoroughbred racehorse ever purchased. The horse retired with total earnings of $10,440 and was euthanized at the age of 14.
Colm Hannon was the General Manager at Sandy Lane for 8 1/2 years starting in 1996. Hannon ran the property as it went through the 3 year closure and re-opening. Hannon is a graduate of Shannon College of Hotel Management in Ireland. Sandy Lane's co-owner, JP McManus, moved Hannon to the West Coast of Ireland to be the CEO of Adare Manor, a five star castle hotel and golf course.
Michael Pownall named Chief Executive of the Sandy Lane Hotel & Golf Resort in 2005. Michael Pownall graduated in 1983 from the Blackpool Hotel School. In 2008 Pownall opened the five star Taj Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa before co-founding PMR Hospitality Partners in 2016, which operates 5 propertes in South Africa.
Robert Logan was Sandy Lane's general manager from 2008-2012. He previously was General Manager of Raffles Hotel, Singapore and currently is the General Manager for the One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico,
Randall Wilkie was named the new General Manager of Sandy Lane Barbados in 2012. Previously his was General Manager at Cobblers Cove Hotel in Barbados. Wilkie maintains a staff of around 700 for the 113 rooms.
Photos and text by Dick Johnson, February 2020.
richardlloydjohnson@hotmail.com
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Poste de commandement du CNE DIEULANGARD, commandant la compagnie réalisant le scénario de sécurisation d'axe
Legionnaires from 13DBLE ( 13e demi-brigade de Légion étrangère,) during a training exercise in Djibouti 21st to 28th March 2010
Without career foreign service officers, knowledgeable presidential advisors, and with his mob boss approach to negotiations between nations, trump's foreign policies are a disaster. Unfortunately the world and the nation suffers from them.
An MGB GT seen in traffic while on my way to work.
Downtown, the Loop, Chicago, Illinois.
S. Clark near Jackson.
Friday, January 27, 2012.
We saw one group of tourist that was filmed by this cameraman. You never know in which way this film can be used in DPRK. Maybe you can see yourself in DPRK TV news with title "Foreign delegation bowed to great idea of Kimilsungism"
Scenes from the Foreign Schools sessions at the 2018 FSA Training Conference in Atlanta, GA on Nov 26, 2018
Home Secretary Theresa May with Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Minister without Portfolio and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles, speaking at the 2010 Eid reception in the Durbar Court of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, 21 September 2010.
A soldier of the French Foreign Legion from the 1st section "Les Aigles" (the Eagles) of the 2nd REG (Regiment Etranger du Genie) watches an Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle driving by, on the road near Tagab in Kapisa Province on January 26, 2011. The French Foreign Legion, a military unit established in 1831, was created for foreign nationals of any nationality wishing to serve in the French armed forces.
Legionnaires from 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2nd REP) board the French Navy Ship Foudre after deployment to Côte d’Ivoire as reinforcements during the recent troubles. Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire 29 April 2011.
Aspirant de la 13e DBLE recueillant toutes les informations venant des différents capteurs de Thalès
Legionnaires from 13DBLE ( 13e demi-brigade de Légion étrangère,) during a training exercise in Djibouti 21st to 28th March 2010
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Mark Taplin meet with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris, France, on February 19, 2014. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]
I created these inchies for a foreign stamp inchies swap on swapbot for 3 partners. Unfortunately I didnt have that many foreign stamps apart from USA, Canada and Britain. And you never guess where my 3 partners are from.
Legionnaires from 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2nd REP) board the French Navy Ship Foudre after deployment to Côte d’Ivoire as reinforcements during the recent troubles. Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire 29 April 2011.
Remembrance Sunday, 8 November 2015
In the United Kingdom, Remembrance Sunday is held on the second Sunday in November, which is the Sunday nearest to 11 November, Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War at 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918. Remembrance Sunday is held to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
Remembrance Sunday is marked by ceremonies at local war memorials in most cities, towns and villages, attended by civic dignitaries, ex-servicemen and -women, members of local armed forces regular and reserve units, military cadet forces and uniformed youth organisations. Two minutes’ silence is observed at 11 a.m. and wreaths of remembrance poppies are then laid on the memorials.
The United Kingdom national ceremony is held in London at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Wreaths are laid by Queen Elizabeth II, principal members of the Royal Family normally including the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, the Earl of Wessex and the Duke of Kent, the Prime Minister, leaders of the other major political parties, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Commonwealth High Commissioners and representatives from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets and the civilian services, and veterans’ groups. Two minutes' silence is held at 11 a.m., before the laying of the wreaths. This silence is marked by the firing of a field gun on Horse Guards Parade to begin and end the silence, followed by Royal Marines buglers sounding Last Post.
The parade consists mainly of an extensive march past by veterans, with military bands playing music following the list of the Traditional Music of Remembrance.
Other members of the British Royal Family watch from the balcony of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
After the ceremony, a parade of veterans and other related groups, organised by the Royal British Legion, marches past the Cenotaph, each section of which lays a wreath as it passes. Only ticketed participants can take part in the march past.
From 1919 until the Second World War remembrance observance was always marked on 11 November itself. It was then moved to Remembrance Sunday, but since the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in 1995, it has become usual to hold ceremonies on both Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday.
Each year, the music at the National Ceremony of Remembrance remains the same, following a programme finalised in 1930:
Rule, Britannia! by Thomas Arne
Heart of Oak by William Boyce
The Minstrel Boy by Thomas Moore
Men of Harlech
The Skye Boat Song
Isle of Beauty by Thomas Haynes Bayly
David of the White Rock
Oft in the Stilly Night by John Stevenson
Flowers of the Forest
Nimrod from the Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar
Dido's lament by Henry Purcell
O Valiant Hearts by Charles Harris
Solemn Melody by Walford Davies
Last Post – a bugle call
Beethoven's Funeral March No. 1, by Johann Heinrich Walch
O God, Our Help in Ages Past – words by Isaac Watts, music by William Croft
Reveille – a bugle call
God Save The Queen
Other pieces of music are then played during the march past and wreath laying by veterans, starting with Trumpet Voluntary and followed by It's A Long Way To Tipperary, the marching song of the Connaught Rangers, a famous British Army Irish Regiment of long ago.
The following is complied from press reports on 8 November 2015:
"The nation paid silent respect to the country's war dead today in a Remembrance Sunday service. Leading the nation in remembrance, as ever, was the Queen, who first laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in 1945 and has done so every year since, except on the four occasions when she was overseas.
Dressed in her customary all-black ensemble with a clutch of scarlet poppies pinned against her left shoulder, she stepped forward following the end of the two-minute silence marked by the sounding of Last Post by 10 Royal Marine buglers.
The Queen laid her wreath at the foot of the Sir Edwin Lutyens Portland stone monument to the Glorious Dead, then stood with her head momentarily bowed.
She was joined by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, who was invited to the Cenotaph for the first time to lay a wreath marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands by British troops.
Watched by his wife Queen Maxima, who stood next to the Duchess of Cambridge in the Royal Box, the King laid a wreath marked with the simple message, 'In remembrance of the British men and women who gave their lives for our future.'
Wreaths were then laid by members of the Royal Family, all wearing military uniform: Prince Philip; then Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Prince William at the same time ; then Prince Edward, Princess Anne and the Duke of Kent at the same time.
Three members of the Royal Family laying wreaths at the same time was an innovation in 2015 designed to slightly reduce the amount of time of the ceremony and thereby reduce the time that the Queen had to be standing.
Prince Charles attended a remembrance service in New Zealand.
The Prime Minister then laid a wreath. The Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, appeared at the Cenotaph for the first time. He wore both a suit and a red poppy for the occasion.
His bow as he laid a wreath marked with the words 'let us resolve to create a world of peace' was imperceptible – and not enough for some critics. Yet unlike the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Battle service earlier this year, Mr Corbyn did join in with the singing of the national anthem.
Following the end of the official service at the Cenotaph, a mammoth column more than 10,000-strong (some 9,000 of whom were veterans) began marching along Whitehall, saluting the Cenotaph as they passed, Parliament Street, Great George Street, Horse Guards Road and back to Horse Guard Parade. The Duke of Cambridge took the salute from the column on Horse Guards Parade.
Time takes its inevitable toll on even the most stoic among us, and this year only a dozen World War Two veterans marched with the Spirit of Normandy Trust, a year after the Normandy Veterans' Association disbanded.
Within their ranks was 95-year-old former Sapper Don Sheppard of the Royal Engineers. Sheppard was of the eldest on parade and was pushed in his wheelchair by his 19-year-old grandson, Sam who, in between studying at Queen Mary University, volunteers with the Normandy veterans.
'It is because of my admiration for them,' he says. 'I see them as role models and just have the utmost respect for what they did.'
While some had blankets covering their legs against the grey November day, other veterans of more recent wars had only stumps to show for their service to this country during 13 long years of war in Afghanistan.
As well as that terrible toll of personal sacrifice, the collective losses – and triumphs - of some of the country’s most historic regiments were also honoured yesterday.
The Gurkha Brigade Association - marking 200 years of service in the British Army – marched to warm ripples of applause. The King’s Royal Hussars, represented yesterday by 126 veterans, this year also celebrate 300 years since the regiment was raised.
They were led by General Sir Richard Shirreff, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of Nato and Colonel of the regiment who himself was marching for the first time.
'We are joined by a golden thread to all those generations who have gone before us,” he said. “We are who we are, because of those that have gone before us.' "
Cenotaph Ceremony & March Past - 8 November 2015
Summary of Contingents
Column Number of marchers
B (Lead) 1,754
C 1,298
D 1,312
E 1,497
F 1,325
A 1,551
Ex-Service Total 8,737
M (Non ex-Service) 1,621
Total 10,358
Column B
Marker Detachment Number
1 Reconnaissance Corps 18 Anniversary
2 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment Old Comrades Assoc 10
3 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Association 60
4 Royal Artillery Association 18
5 Royal Engineers Association 37
6 Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Association 65 Anniversary
7 Airborne Engineers Association 24
8 Royal Signals Association 48
9 Army Air Corps Association 42
10 Royal Army Service Corps & Royal Corps Transport Assoc 54
11 RAOC Association 18
12 Army Catering Corps Association 48
13 Royal Pioneer Corps Association 54 Anniversary
14 Royal Army Medical Corps Association 36
15 Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Association 48
16 Royal Military Police Association 100
17 The RAEC and ETS Branch Association 12
18 Royal Army Pay Corps Regimental Association 36
19 Royal Army Veterinary Corps & Royal Army Dental Corps 18
20 Royal Army Physical Training Corps 24
21 Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps Assoc 48
22 Royal Scots Dragoon Guards 30
23 Royal Dragoon Guards 78
24 Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own & Royal Irish) 12
25 Kings Royal Hussars Regimental Association 126
26 16/5th Queen's Royal Lancers 36
27 17/21 Lancers 30
28 The Royal Lancers 24 New for 2015
29 JLR RAC Old Boys' Association 30
30 Association of Ammunition Technicians 24
31 Beachley Old Boys Association 36
32 Arborfield Old Boys Association 25
33 Gallipoli & Dardenelles International 24
34 Special Observers Association 24
35 The Parachute Squadron Royal Armoured Corps 24 New
36 Intelligence Corps Association 48
37 Women's Royal Army Corps Association 120
38 656 Squadron Association 24
39 Home Guard Association 9
40 British Resistance Movement (Coleshill Research Team) 12
41 British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association 48
42 British Ex-Services Wheelchair Sports Association 24
43 Royal Hospital Chelsea 30
44 Queen Alexandra's Hospital Home for Disabled Ex-Servicemen & Women 30
45 The Royal Star & Garter Homes 20
46 Combat Stress 48
Total 1,754
Column C
Marker Detachment Number
1 Royal Air Force Association 150
2 Royal Air Force Regiment Association 300
3 Royal Air Forces Ex-Prisoner's of War Association 20
4 Royal Observer Corps Association 75 Anniversary
5 National Service (Royal Air Force) Association 42
6 RAFLING Association 24
7 6 Squadron (Royal Air Force) Association 18
8 7 Squadron Association 25
9 8 Squadron Association 24
10 RAF Habbaniya Association 25
11 Royal Air Force & Defence Fire Services Association 30
12 Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Association 30
13 Units of the Far East Air Force 28 New
14 Royal Air Force Yatesbury Association 16
15 Royal Air Force Airfield Construction Branch Association 12
16 RAFSE(s) Assoc 45 New
17 Royal Air Force Movements and Mobile Air Movements Squadron Association (RAF MAMS) 24
18 Royal Air Force Masirah & Salalah Veterans Assoc 24 New
19 WAAF/WRAF/RAF(W) 25
19 Blenheim Society 18
20 Coastal Command & Maritime Air Association 24
21 Air Sea Rescue & Marine Craft Sections Club 15
22 Federation of RAF Apprentice & Boy Entrant Assocs 150
23 Royal Air Force Air Loadmasters Association 24
24 Royal Air Force Police Association 90
25 Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service Association 40
Total 1,298
Column D
Marker Detachment Number
1 Not Forgotten Association 54
2 Stoll 18
3 Ulster Defence Regiment 72
4 Army Dog Unit Northern Ireland Association 48
5 North Irish Horse & Irish Regiments Old Comrades Association 78
6 Northern Ireland Veterans' Association 40
7 Irish United Nations Veterans Association 12
8 ONET UK 10
9 St Helena Government UK 24
10 South Atlantic Medal Association 196
11 SSAFA 37
12 First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal's Volunteers Corps) 12
13 Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen & Women 48
14 British Nuclear Test Veterans Association 48
15 War Widows Association 132
16 Gurkha Brigade Association 160 Anniversary
17 British Gurkha Welfare Society 100 Anniversary
18 West Indian Association of Service Personnel 18
19 Trucial Oman Scouts Association 18
20 Bond Van Wapenbroeders 35
21 Polish Ex-Combatants Association in Great Britain 25
22 Stowarzyszenie Polskich Kombatantów Limited 18 New
23 Royal Hong Kong Regiment Association 12
24 Canadian Veterans Association 10
25 Hong Kong Ex-Servicemen's Association (UK Branch) 24
26 Hong Kong Military Service Corps 28
27 Foreign Legion Association 24
28 Undivided Indian Army Ex Servicemen Association 11 New
Total 1,312
Column E
Marker Detachment Number
1 Royal Marines Association 198
2 Royal Naval Association 150
3 Merchant Navy Association 130
4 Sea Harrier Association 24
5 Flower Class Corvette Association 18
6 HMS Andromeda Association 18
7 HMS Argonaut Association 30
8 HMS Bulwark, Albion & Centaur Association 25
9 HMS Cumberland Association 18
10 HMS Ganges Association 48
11 HMS Glasgow Association 30
12 HMS St Vincent Association 26
13 HMS Tiger Association 25
14 Algerines Association 20
15 Ton Class Association 24
16 Type 42 Association 48
17 Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service 36
18 Association of WRENS 90
19 Royal Fleet Auxiliary Association 10
20 Royal Naval Communications Association 30
21 Royal Naval Medical Branch Ratings & Sick Berth Staff Association 24
22 Royal Naval Benevolent Trust 18
23 Yangtze Incident Association 24
24 Special Boat Service Association 6
25 Submariners Association 30
26 Association of Royal Yachtsmen 30
27 Broadsword Association 36
28 Aircraft Handlers Association 36
29 Aircrewmans Association 40 Anniversary
30 Cloud Observers Association 10
31 The Fisgard Association 40
32 Fleet Air Arm Armourers Association 36
33 Fleet Air Arm Association 25
34 Fleet Air Arm Bucaneer Association 24
35 Fleet Air Arm Field Gun Association 24
36 Fleet Air Arm Junglie Association 18
37 Fleet Air Arm Officers Association 30
38 Fleet Air Arm Safety Equipment & Survival Association 24
39 Royal Navy School of Physical Training 24
Total 1,497
Column F
Marker Detachment Number
1 Blind Veterans UK 198
2 Far East Prisoners of War 18
3 Burma Star Association 40
4 Monte Cassino Society20
5 Queen's Bodyguard of The Yeoman of The Guard 18
6 Pen and Sword Club 15
7 TRBL Ex-Service Members 301
8 The Royal British Legion Poppy Factory 4
9 The Royal British Legion Scotland 24
10 Officers Association 5
11 Black and White Club 18
12 National Pigeon War Service 30
13 National Service Veterans Alliance 50
14 Gallantry Medallists League 46
15 National Malaya & Borneo Veterans Association 98
16 National Gulf Veterans & Families Association 30
17 Fellowship of the Services 100
18 Memorable Order of Tin Hats 24
19 Suez Veterans Association 50
20 Aden Veterans Association 72
21 1st Army Association 36
22 Showmens' Guild of Great Britain 40
23 Special Forces Club 12
24 The Spirit of Normandy Trust 28
25 Italy Star Association, 1943-1945, 48
Total 1,325
Column A
Marker Detachment Number
1 1LI Association 36
2 Royal Green Jackets Association 198
3 Parachute Regimental Association 174
4 King's Own Scottish Borderers 60
5 Black Watch Association 45
6 Gordon Highlanders Association 60
7 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Association 12
8 Queen's Own Highlanders Regimental Association 48
9 London Scottish Regimental Association 30
10 Grenadier Guards Association 48
11 Coldstream Guards Association 48
12 Scots Guards Association 48
13 Guards Parachute Association 36
14 4 Company Association (Parachute Regiment) 24
15 Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment 72
16 Royal East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) Past & Present Association 30
17 Prince of Wales' Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) Regimental Association 24
18 Royal Hampshire Regiment Comrades Association 14
19 The Royal Hampshire Regimental Club 24 New for 2015
20 Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 48 New
21 Royal Sussex Regimental Association 12
22 Green Howards Association 24
23 Cheshire Regiment Association 24
24 Sherwood Foresters & Worcestershire Regiment 36
25 Mercian Regiment Association 30
26 Special Air Service Regimental Association 4
27 The King's Own Royal Border Regiment 100
28 The Staffordshire Regiment 48
29 Rifles Regimental Association 40
30 The Rifles & Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire & Wiltshire Regimental Association 30
31 Durham Light Infantry Association 60
32 King's Royal Rifle Corps Association 50
33 King's African Rifles 14 New for 2015
Total 1,551
Column M
Marker Detachment Number
1 Transport For London 48
2 Children of the Far East Prisoners of War 60
3 First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal's Volunteers Corps) 24
4 Munitions Workers Association18
5 Evacuees Reunion Association48
6 TOC H 20
7 Salvation Army 36
8 Naval Canteen Service & Expeditionary Force Institutes Association 12 Previously NAAFI
9 Royal Voluntary Service 24
10 Civil Defence Association 8
11 National Association of Retired Police Officers 36
12 Metropolitan Special Constabulary 36
13 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 36
14 London Ambulance Service Retirement Association 18
15 St John Ambulance 36
16 British Red Cross 12
17 St Andrew's Ambulance Association 6
18 The Firefighters Memorial Trust 24
19 Royal Ulster Constabulary (GC) Association 36
20 Ulster Special Constabulary Association 30
21 Commonwealth War Graves Commission 12
22 Daniel's Trust 36
23 Civilians Representing Families 180
24 Royal Mail Group Ltd 24
25 Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 24
26 The Blue Cross 24
27 PDSA 24
28 HM Ships Glorious Ardent & ACASTA Association 24 Anniversary
29 Old Cryptians' Club 12
30 Fighting G Club 18 Anniversary
31 Malayan Volunteers Group 12
32 Gallipoli Association 18
33 Ministry of Defence 20
34 TRBL Non Ex-Service Members 117
35 TRBL Women's Section 20
36 Union Jack Club 12
37 Western Front Association 8
38 Shot at Dawn Pardons Campaign 18
39 Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes 24
40 National Association of Round Tables 24
41 Lions Club International 24
42 Rotary International 24
43 41 Club 6
44 Equity 12
45 Romany & Traveller Society 18
46 Sea Cadet Corps 30
47 Combined Cadet Force 30
48 Army Cadet Force 30
49 Air Training Corps 30
50 Scout Association 30
51 Girlguiding London & South East England 30
52 Boys Brigade 30
53 Girls Brigade England & Wales 30
54 Church Lads & Church Girls Brigade 30
55 Metropolitan Police Volunteer Police Cadets 18
56 St John Ambulance Cadets 18
57 YMCA 12
Total 1,621
Scenes from the Foreign Schools sessions at the 2018 FSA Training Conference in Atlanta, GA on Nov 26, 2018
Singapore (Listeni/ˈsɪŋɡəpɔːr/), officially the Republic of Singapore, and often referred to as the Lion City, the Garden City, and the Red Dot, is a global city and sovereign state in Southeast Asia and the world's only island city-state. It lies one degree (137 km) north of the equator, at the southernmost tip of continental Asia and peninsular Malaysia, with Indonesia's Riau Islands to the south. Singapore's territory consists of the diamond-shaped main island and 62 islets. Since independence, extensive land reclamation has increased its total size by 23% (130 km2), and its greening policy has covered the densely populated island with tropical flora, parks and gardens.
The islands were settled from the second century AD by a series of local empires. In 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles founded modern Singapore as a trading post of the East India Company; after the company collapsed, the islands were ceded to Britain and became part of its Straits Settlements in 1826. During World War II, Singapore was occupied by Japan. It gained independence from Britain in 1963, by uniting with other former British territories to form Malaysia, but was expelled two years later over ideological differences. After early years of turbulence, and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland, the nation developed rapidly as an Asian Tiger economy, based on external trade and its human capital.
Singapore is a global commerce, finance and transport hub. Its standings include: "easiest place to do business" (World Bank) for ten consecutive years, most "technology-ready" nation (WEF), top International-meetings city (UIA), city with "best investment potential" (BERI), 2nd-most competitive country (WEF), 3rd-largest foreign exchange centre, 3rd-largest financial centre, 3rd-largest oil refining and trading centre and one of the top two busiest container ports since the 1990s. Singapore's best known global brands include Singapore Airlines and Changi Airport, both amongst the most-awarded in their industry; SIA is also rated by Fortune surveys as Asia's "most admired company". For the past decade, it has been the only Asian country with the top AAA sovereign rating from all major credit rating agencies, including S&P, Moody's and Fitch.
Singapore ranks high on its national social policies, leading Asia and 11th globally, on the Human Development Index (UN), notably on key measures of education, healthcare, life expectancy, quality of life, personal safety, housing. Although income inequality is high, 90% of citizens own their homes, and the country has one of the highest per capita incomes, with low taxes. The cosmopolitan nation is home to 5.5 million residents, 38% of whom are permanent residents and other foreign nationals. Singaporeans are mostly bilingual in a mother-tongue language and English as their common language. Its cultural diversity is reflected in its extensive ethnic "hawker" cuisine and major festivals - Chinese, Malay, Indian, Western - which are all national holidays. In 2015, Lonely Planet and The New York Times listed Singapore as their top and 6th best world destination to visit respectively.
The nation's core principles are meritocracy, multiculturalism and secularism. It is noted for its effective, pragmatic and incorrupt governance and civil service, which together with its rapid development policies, is widely cited as the "Singapore model". Gallup polls shows 84% of its residents expressed confidence in the national government, and 85% in its judicial systems - one of the highest ratings recorded. Singapore has significant influence on global affairs relative to its size, leading some analysts to classify it as a middle power. It is ranked as Asia's most influential city and 4th in the world by Forbes.
Singapore is a unitary, multiparty, parliamentary republic, with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government. The People's Action Party has won every election since self-government in 1959. One of the five founding members of the ASEAN, Singapore is also the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat, and a member of the East Asia Summit, Non-Aligned Movement, and the Commonwealth of Nations.
ETYMOLOGY
The English name of Singapore is derived from the Malay word, Singapura, which was in turn derived from Sanskrit (Singa is "lion", Pura "city"; Sanskrit: सिंहपुर, IAST: Siṃhápura), hence the customary reference to the nation as the Lion City, and its inclusion in many of the nation's symbols (e.g., its coat of arms, Merlion emblem). However, it is unlikely that lions ever lived on the island; Sang Nila Utama, who founded and named the island Singapura, most likely saw a Malayan tiger. It is also known as Pulau Ujong, as far back as the 3rd century, literally 'island at the end' (of the Malay Peninsula) in Malay.
Since the 1970s, Singapore has also been widely known as the Garden City, owing to its extensive greening policy covering the whole island, a priority of its first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, dubbed the nation's "Chief Gardener". The nation's conservation and greening efforts contributed to Singapore Botanic Gardens being the only tropical garden to be inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The nickname, Red Dot, is a reference to its size on the map, contrasting with its achievements. In 2015, Singapore's Golden Jubilee year, the celebratory "SG50" branding is depicted inside a red dot.
HISTORY
Temasek ('Sea Town' in the Malay language), an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire, is the earliest written record relating to the area now called Singapore. In the 13th century, the Kingdom of Singapura was established on the island and it became a trading port city. However, there were two major foreign invasions before it was destroyed by the Majapahit in 1398. In 1613, Portuguese raiders burned down the settlement, which by then was nominally part of the Johor Sultanate and the island sank into obscurity for the next two centuries, while the wider maritime region and much trade was under Dutch control.
BRITISH COLONISATION 1819-1942
In 1819, Thomas Stamford Raffles arrived and signed a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor, on behalf of the British East India Company, to develop the southern part of Singapore as a British trading post. In 1824, the entire island, as well as the Temenggong, became a British possession after a further treaty with the Sultan. In 1826, Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements, under the jurisdiction of British India, becoming the regional capital in 1836.
Prior to Raffles' arrival, there were only about a thousand people living on the island, mostly indigenous Malays along with a handful of Chinese. By 1860, the population had swelled to more than 80,000 and more than half were Chinese. Many immigrants came to work at rubber plantations and, after the 1870s, the island became a global centre for rubber exports.
After the First World War, the British built the large Singapore Naval Base. Lieutenant General Sir William George Shedden Dobbie was appointed General Officer Commanding of the Malaya Command on 8 November 1935, holding the post until 1939;
WORLD WAR II AND JAPANESE OCCUPATION 1942-45
in May 1938, the General Officer Commanding of the Malaya Command warned how Singapore could be conquered by the Japanese via an attack from northern Malaya, but his warnings went unheeded. The Imperial Japanese Army invaded British Malaya, culminating in the Battle of Singapore. When the British surrendered on 15 February 1942, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill called the defeat "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history". Between 5,000 and 25,000 ethnic Chinese people were killed in the subsequent Sook Ching massacre.
From November 1944 to May 1945, the Allies conducted an intensive bombing of Singapore.
RETURN OF BRITISH 1945-59
After the surrender of Japan was announced in the Jewel Voice Broadcast by the Japanese Emperor on 15 August 1945 there was a breakdown of order and looting and revenge-killing were widespread. The formal Japanese Occupation of Singapore was only ended by Operation Tiderace and the formal surrender on 12 September 1945 at Singapore City Hall when Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of Southeast Asia Command, accepted the capitulation of Japanese forces in Southeast Asia from General Itagaki Seishiro.
A British Military Administration was then formed to govern the island. On 1 April 1946, the Straits Settlements were dissolved and Singapore became a separate Crown Colony with a civil administration headed by a Governor. Much of the infrastructure had been destroyed during the war, including the harbour, electricity, telephone and water supply systems. There was also a shortage of food leading to malnutrition, disease, and rampant crime and violence. High food prices, unemployment, and workers' discontent culminated into a series of strikes in 1947 causing massive stoppages in public transport and other services. In July 1947, separate Executive and Legislative Councils were established and the election of six members of the Legislative Council was scheduled for the following year. By late 1947, the economy began to recover, facilitated by a growing demand for tin and rubber around the world, but it would take several more years before the economy returned to pre-war levels.
The failure of Britain to defend Singapore had destroyed its credibility as an infallible ruler in the eyes of Singaporeans. The decades after the war saw a political awakening amongst the local populace and the rise of anti-colonial and nationalist sentiments, epitomized by the slogan Merdeka, or "independence" in the Malay language.
During the 1950s, Chinese Communists with strong ties to the trade unions and Chinese schools carried out armed uprising against the government, leading to the Malayan Emergency and later, the Communist Insurgency War. The 1954 National Service Riots, Chinese middle schools riots, and Hock Lee bus riots in Singapore were all linked to these events.
David Marshall, pro-independence leader of the Labour Front, won Singapore's first general election in 1955. He led a delegation to London, but Britain rejected his demand for complete self-rule. He resigned and was replaced by Lim Yew Hock, whose policies convinced Britain to grant Singapore full internal self-government for all matters except defence and foreign affairs.
SELF-GOVERNMENT 1959-1963
During the May 1959 elections, the People's Action Party won a landslide victory. Singapore became an internally self-governing state within the Commonwealth, with Lee Kuan Yew as its first Prime Minister. Governor Sir William Allmond Codrington Goode served as the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State), and was succeeded by Yusof bin Ishak, who became the first President of Singapore in 1965.
MERGER WITH MALAYSIA 1963-65
As a result of the 1962 Merger Referendum, on 31 August 1963 Singapore joined with the Federation of Malaya, the Crown Colony of Sarawak and the Crown Colony of North Borneo to form the new federation of Malaysia under the terms of the Malaysia Agreement. Singaporean leaders chose to join Malaysia primarily due to concerns over its limited land size, scarcity of water, markets and natural resources. Some Singaporean and Malaysian politicians were also concerned that the communists might form the government on the island, a possibility perceived as an external threat to the Federation of Malaya.However, shortly after the merger, the Singapore state government and the Malaysian central government disagreed on many political and economic issues, and communal strife culminated in the 1964 race riots in Singapore. After many heated ideological conflicts between the two governments, on 9 August 1965, the Malaysian Parliament voted 126 to 0 to expel Singapore from Malaysia with Singaporean delegates not present.
INDEPENDENCE 1965 TO PRESENT
Singapore gained independence as the Republic of Singapore (remaining within the Commonwealth of Nations) on 9 August 1965. Race riots broke out once more in 1969. In 1967, the country co-founded ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and in 1970 it joined the Non-Aligned Movement. Lee Kuan Yew became Prime Minister, leading its Third World economy to First World affluence in a single generation. His emphasis on rapid economic growth, support for business entrepreneurship, limitations on internal democracy, and close relationships with China set the new nation's policies for the next half-century.
In 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee as Prime Minister, while the latter continued serving in the Cabinet as Senior Minister until 2004, and then Minister Mentor until May 2011. During Goh's tenure, the country faced the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2003 SARS outbreak and terrorist threats posed by Jemaah Islamiyah.
In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the country's third Prime Minister. Goh Chok Tong remained in Cabinet as the Senior Minister until May 2011, when he was named Emeritus Senior Minister despite his retirement. He steered the nation through the 2008 global financial crisis, resolved the disputed 79-year old Malayan railways land, and introduced integrated resorts. Despite the economy's exceptional growth, PAP suffered its worst election results in 2011, winning 60% of votes, amidst hot-button issues of high influx of foreign workers and cost of living. Lee initiated a major re-structuring of the economy to raise productivity, improved universal healthcare and grants, especially for the pioneer generation of citizens, amongst many new inclusive measures.
On 23 March 2015, its founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who had 'personified Singapore to the world' for nearly half a century died. In a week of national mourning, 1.7 million residents and guests paid tribute to him at his lying-in-state at Parliament House and at community sites around the island.
Singapore celebrated its Golden jubilee in 2015 – its 50th year of independence, with a year-long series of events branded SG50. The PAP maintained its dominance in Parliament at the September general elections, receiving 69.9% of the popular vote, its second-highest polling result behind the 2001 tally of 75.3%.
GEOGRAPHY
Singapore consists of 63 islands, including the main island, Pulau Ujong. There are two man-made connections to Johor, Malaysia: the Johor–Singapore Causeway in the north and the Tuas Second Link in the west. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the largest of Singapore's smaller islands. The highest natural point is Bukit Timah Hill at 163.63 m. April and May are the hottest months, with the wetter monsoon season from November to January.
From July to October, there is often haze caused by bush fires in neighbouring Indonesia, usually from the island of Sumatra. Although Singapore does not observe daylight saving time (DST), it follows the GMT+8 time zone, one hour ahead of the typical zone for its geographical location.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government representing constituencies. The country's constitution establishes a representative democracy as the political system. Executive power rests with the Cabinet of Singapore, led by the Prime Minister and, to a much lesser extent, the President. The President is elected through a popular vote, and has veto powers over a specific set of executive decisions, such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of judges, but otherwise occupies a largely ceremonial post.
The Parliament serves as the legislative branch of the government. Members of Parliament (MPs) consist of elected, non-constituency and nominated members. Elected MPs are voted into the Parliament on a "first-past-the-post" (plurality) basis and represent either single-member or group representation constituencies. The People's Action Party has won control of Parliament with large majorities in every election since self-governance was secured in 1959.
Although the elections are clean, there is no independent electoral authority and the government has strong influence on the media. Freedom House ranks Singapore as "partly free" in its Freedom in the World report, and The Economist ranks Singapore as a "flawed democracy", the second best rank of four, in its "Democracy Index". Despite this, in the 2011 Parliamentary elections, the opposition, led by the Workers' Party, increased its representation to seven elected MPs. In the 2015 elections, PAP scored a landslide victory, winning 83 of 89 seats contested, with 70% of popular votes. Gallup polls reported 84% of residents in Singapore expressed confidence in the government, and 85% in its judicial systems and courts – one of the highest ratings in the world.
Singapore's governance model eschews populist politics, focusing on the nation's long-term interest, and is known to be clean, effective and pragmatic. As a small nation highly dependent on external trade, it is vulnerable to geo-politics and global economics. It places great emphasis on security and stability of the region in its foreign policies, and applies global best practices to ensure the nation's attractiveness as an investment destination and business hub.
The legal system of Singapore is based on English common law, but with substantial local differences. Trial by jury was abolished in 1970 so that judicial decisions would rest entirely in the hands of appointed judges. Singapore has penalties that include judicial corporal punishment in the form of caning, which may be imposed for such offences as rape, rioting, vandalism, and certain immigration offences.There is a mandatory death penalty for murder, as well as for certain aggravated drug-trafficking and firearms offences.
Amnesty International has said that some legal provisions of the Singapore system conflict with the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that Singapore has "... possibly the highest execution rate in the world relative to its population". The government has disputed Amnesty's claims. In a 2008 survey of international business executives, Singapore received the top ranking with regard to judicial system quality in Asia. Singapore has been consistently rated among the least corrupt countries in the world by Transparency International.
In 2011, the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index ranked Singapore among the top countries surveyed with regard to "order and security", "absence of corruption", and "effective criminal justice". However, the country received a much lower ranking for "freedom of speech" and "freedom of assembly". All public gatherings of five or more people require police permits, and protests may legally be held only at the Speakers' Corner.
EDUCATION
Education for primary, secondary, and tertiary levels is mostly supported by the state. All institutions, private and public, must be registered with the Ministry of Education. English is the language of instruction in all public schools, and all subjects are taught and examined in English except for the "mother tongue" language paper. While the term "mother tongue" in general refers to the first language internationally, in Singapore's education system, it is used to refer to the second language, as English is the first language. Students who have been abroad for a while, or who struggle with their "Mother Tongue" language, are allowed to take a simpler syllabus or drop the subject.
Education takes place in three stages: primary, secondary, and pre-university education. Only the primary level is compulsory. Students begin with six years of primary school, which is made up of a four-year foundation course and a two-year orientation stage. The curriculum is focused on the development of English, the mother tongue, mathematics, and science. Secondary school lasts from four to five years, and is divided between Special, Express, Normal (Academic), and Normal (Technical) streams in each school, depending on a student's ability level. The basic coursework breakdown is the same as in the primary level, although classes are much more specialised. Pre-university education takes place over two to three years at senior schools, mostly called Junior Colleges.
Some schools have a degree of freedom in their curriculum and are known as autonomous schools. These exist from the secondary education level and up.
National examinations are standardised across all schools, with a test taken after each stage. After the first six years of education, students take the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), which determines their placement at secondary school. At the end of the secondary stage, GCE "O"-Level exams are taken; at the end of the following pre-university stage, the GCE "A"-Level exams are taken. Of all non-student Singaporeans aged 15 and above, 18% have no education qualifications at all while 45% have the PSLE as their highest qualification; 15% have the GCE 'O' Level as their highest qualification and 14% have a degree.
Singaporean students consistently rank at or near the top of international education assessments:
- In 2015, Singapore topped the OECD's global school performance rankings, based on 15-year-old students' average scores in mathematics and science across 76 countries.
- Singaporean students were ranked first in the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, and have been ranked in the top three every year since 1995.
- Singapore fared best in the 2015 International Baccalaureate exams, taken in 107 countries, with more than half of the world's 81 perfect scorers and 98% passing rate.
The country's two main public universities - the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University - are ranked among the top 13 in the world.
HEALTH
Singapore has a generally efficient healthcare system, even though their health expenditures are relatively low for developed countries. The World Health Organisation ranks Singapore's healthcare system as 6th overall in the world in its World Health Report. In general, Singapore has had the lowest infant mortality rate in the world for the past two decades.
Life expectancy in Singapore is 80 for males and 85 for females, placing the country 4th in the world for life expectancy. Almost the whole population has access to improved water and sanitation facilities. There are fewer than 10 annual deaths from HIV per 100,000 people. There is a high level of immunisation. Adult obesity is below 10%
The government's healthcare system is based upon the "3M" framework. This has three components: Medifund, which provides a safety net for those not able to otherwise afford healthcare, Medisave, a compulsory health savings scheme covering about 85% of the population, and Medishield, a government-funded health insurance program. Public hospitals in Singapore have autonomy in their management decisions, and compete for patients. A subsidy scheme exists for those on low income. In 2008, 32% of healthcare was funded by the government. It accounts for approximately 3.5% of Singapore's GDP.
RELIGION
Buddhism is the most widely practised religion in Singapore, with 33% of the resident population declaring themselves adherents at the most recent census. The next-most practised religion is Christianity, followed by Islam, Taoism, and Hinduism. 17% of the population did not have a religious affiliation. The proportion of Christians, Taoists, and non-religious people increased between 2000 and 2010 by about 3% each, whilst the proportion of Buddhists decreased. Other faiths remained largely stable in their share of the population. An analysis by the Pew Research Center found Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation.
There are monasteries and Dharma centres from all three major traditions of Buddhism in Singapore: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Most Buddhists in Singapore are Chinese and are of the Mahayana tradition, with missionaries having come into the country from Taiwan and China for several decades. However, Thailand's Theravada Buddhism has seen growing popularity among the populace (not only the Chinese) during the past decade. Soka Gakkai International, a Japanese Buddhist organisation, is practised by many people in Singapore, but mostly by those of Chinese descent. Tibetan Buddhism has also made slow inroads into the country in recent years.
CULTURE
Singapore has one of the lowest rates of drug use in the world. Culturally, the use of illicit drugs is viewed as highly undesirable by Singaporeans, unlike many European societies. Singaporeans' disapproval towards drug use has resulted in laws that impose the mandatory death sentence for certain serious drug trafficking offences. Singapore also has a low rate of alcohol consumption per capita and low levels of violent crime, and one of the lowest intentional homicide rate globally. The average alcohol consumption rate is only 2 litres annually per adult, one of the lowest in the world.
Foreigners make up 42% of the population, and have a strong influence on Singaporean culture. The Economist Intelligence Unit, in its 2013 "Where-to-be-born Index", ranks Singapore as having the best quality of life in Asia and sixth overall in the world.
LANGUAGES; RELIGIONS AND CULTURES
Singapore is a very diverse and young country. It has many languages, religions, and cultures for a country its size.
When Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom in 1963, most of the newly minted Singaporean citizens were uneducated labourers from Malaysia, China and India. Many of them were transient labourers who were seeking to make some money in Singapore and they had no intention of staying permanently. A sizeable minority of middle-class, local-born people, known as the Peranakans, also existed. With the exception of the Peranakans (descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants) who pledged their loyalties to Singapore, most of the labourers' loyalties lay with their respective homelands of Malaysia, China and India. After independence, the process of crafting a Singaporean identity and culture began.
Former Prime Ministers of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, have stated that Singapore does not fit the traditional description of a nation, calling it a society-in-transition, pointing out the fact that Singaporeans do not all speak the same language, share the same religion, or have the same customs. Even though English is the first language of the nation, according to the government's 2010 census 20% of Singaporeans, or one in five, are illiterate in English. This is a marked improvement from 1990 where 40% of Singaporeans were illiterate in English.
Languages, religions and cultures among Singaporeans are not delineated according to skin colour or ancestry, unlike many other countries. Among Chinese Singaporeans, one in five is Christian, another one in five is atheist, and the rest are mostly Buddhists or Taoists. One-third speak English as their home language, while half speak Mandarin Chinese. The rest speak other Chinese varieties at home. Most Malays in Singapore speak Malay as their home language with some speaking English. Singaporean Indians are much more religious. Only 1% of them are atheists. Six in ten are Hindu, two in ten Muslim, and the rest mostly Christian. Four in ten speak English as their home language, three in ten Tamil, one in ten Malay, and the rest other Indian languages as their home language.
Each Singaporean's behaviours and attitudes would therefore be influenced by, among many other things, his or her home language and his religion. Singaporeans who speak English as their native language tend to lean toward Western culture, while those who speak Chinese as their native language tend to lean toward Chinese culture and Confucianism. Malay speaking Singaporeans tend to lean toward the Malay culture, which itself is closely linked to the Islamic culture.
ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS
At the national level in Singapore, meritocracy, where one is judged based on one's ability, is heavily emphasised.
Racial and religious harmony is regarded by Singaporeans as a crucial part of Singapore's success, and played a part in building a Singaporean identity. Singapore has a reputation as a nanny state. The national flower of Singapore is the hybrid orchid, Vanda 'Miss Joaquim', named in memory of a Singapore-born Armenian woman, who crossbred the flower in her garden at Tanjong Pagar in 1893. Many national symbols such as the Coat of arms of Singapore and the Lion head symbol of Singapore make use of the lion, as Singapore is known as the Lion City. Other monikers by which Singapore is widely known is the Garden City and the Red Dot. Public holidays in Singapore cover major Chinese, Western, Malay and Indian festivals.
Singaporean employees work an average of around 45 hours weekly, relatively long compared to many other nations. Three in four Singaporean employees surveyed stated that they take pride in doing their work well, and that doing so helps their self-confidence.
CUISINE
Dining, along with shopping, is said to be the country's national pastime. The focus on food has led countries like Australia to attract Singaporean tourists with food-based itineraries. The diversity of food is touted as a reason to visit the country, and the variety of food representing different ethnicities is seen by the government as a symbol of its multiculturalism. The "national fruit" of Singapore is the durian.
In popular culture, food items belong to a particular ethnicity, with Chinese, Malay, and Indian food clearly defined. However, the diversity of cuisine has been increased further by the "hybridisation" of different styles (e.g., the Peranakan cuisine, a mix of Chinese and Malay cuisine).
WIKIPEDIA
Scenes from the Foreign Schools sessions at the 2018 FSA Training Conference in Atlanta, GA on Nov 26, 2018
French Foreign Legion soldiers and their Surinamese counterparts inspect weapons during a seven-day training course in anti-tank, sniper, and mortar weapons at the Surinamese Army's OP Savanna military base in district Brokopondo, December 15, 2011. Eighty French Foreign Legion soldiers of at least 25 different nationalities will return from their training on Friday to be stationed starting next week at France's Kourou Airspace centre in French Guiana.
Scenes from the Foreign Schools sessions at the 2018 FSA Training Conference in Atlanta, GA on Nov 26, 2018
Scenes from the Foreign Schools sessions at the 2018 FSA Training Conference in Atlanta, GA on Nov 26, 2018
Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma delivers keynote remarks during a Foreign Affairs Day awards ceremony event at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., on May 5, 2023. [State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/Public Domain]
Soldier of the French Foreign Legion from the 1st section "Les Aigles" (the Eagles) of the 2nd REG (Regiment Etranger du Genie) control a car on the road near Tagab in Kapisa Province on January 26, 2011. The French Foreign Legion, a military unit established in 1831, was created for foreign nationals of any nationality wishing to serve in the French armed forces.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide signs U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's guestbook before their meeting at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on January 11, 2018. [State Department Photo/ Public Domain]
At a time the Sri Lankan foreign service, especially the diplomatic Corps, is being subjected to criticism by certain section of the Sri Lankan community both at home and abroad, it would be prudent to reminisce on a Sri Lankan diplomat, Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne, who had lived up to his profile and discharged his duties as a professional and a charismatic ‘ambassador’ to Mother Lanka.
History of Ceylon reveals that long before the National Congress saw the light of day, a young group of Ceylonese fiery men, including R. Sri Pathmanathan and R. Nadarajah, two sons of the wealthiest citizens of Colombo at the time, were absolutely patriotic to the core and had taken an oath to liberate ‘Ceylon’ and signed in blood. This had been done in the midst of several other ‘Reform groups’ which had surfaced intermittently without a definite focus to see their mission fulfilled.
Young hot blood
King George VI, Lady Leela, Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
The idea of the ‘young and hot blood’ began to spread like wildfire; seemingly patriots such as E.T. Silva, M.A. Arunalandan, R.S.S. Gunawardena, Phillips Tambyah and a prominent Civil Servant, Paulus Pieris, risked his prestigious job to join the band of young men who were prepared to be patriots of no mean calibre.
Edwin Wijeyeratne was born on January 8, 1889 at Rambukkana to Gabrial Wijeyeratne, a much-respected notary public, and Dona Catherina Wickremasinghe Jayasekera Tennekoon, daughter of Jayasekera Tennekoon, notary. Wijeyeratne family hailed from Kotte, whose ancestors were famed for fighting at Mulleriyawa and Balana.
Wijeyeratne Senior, the first Sinhala notary in the entire four Korales had shifted from Utuwankande, Mawanella to Kegalle during the early part of the 16th Century, fleeing from the Portuguese whom they had fought with.
The family continued intermarrying with the distinguished Walauwes of Kotte, Madapatha and Matara. There were seven luminaries in Edwin Wijeyeratne mother’s family banner, given by King Parakrama Bahu VI of Kotte to an ancestor. Edwin was the eldest son of his parents.
Edwin Wijeyeratne was initially educated at the village school of Rambukkana; subsequently at St. Joseph’s College, Colombo where he passed the senior examination with Honours, earning 15 accolades at the final school prize giving.
At the demise of his father he took up lecturing at the Lorenz Tutory, simultaneously showing an interest in journalism and served under a renowned editor in Ceylon, Armand de Souza, whom Governors feared and officials dreaded.
The riots of 1925 nearly brought a martyr’s crown upon Edwin. He was arrested and had a narrow escape. Simultaneously young Pedris was also taken into custody for his activities ‘against the law’. Others, F. R., D. C. and D. S. Senanayake, Baron Jayatilaka, Dr. C. A. Hewavitarne, W. A. de Silva, Arthur V. Dias, John Silva, Piyadasa Sirisena, A. E. Goonesinghe and several others who had done nothing to incite were also imprisoned.
Early career
When Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam and Sir James Peiris formed the Ceylon Congress, Edwin being a colleague became a co-founder. By this time he had passed out as a lawyer and had a flourishing practice in his hometown, Kegalle. Being an expert in Civil and Kandyan Law and Buddhist Ecclesiastical Law he became a live wire in the Ceylon National Congress and a close friend of D.S. Senanayake.
In 1929 Edwin Wijeyeratne passed out as an advocate. In 1931 he entered the State Council from Kegalle and served till 1936, displaying great powers of oratory. He was an authority on parliamentary procedure, yet he did not stand for re-election in 1936.
He remained at the bar from 1936 to 1947. Edwin Wijeyeratne was appointed as President of the Ceylon National Congress on December 21, 1940. During this period he led the Ceylon National Congress delegation to London with Henry Amarasuriya and George E. de Silva.
The delegation created an excellent impression on Conservative and Labour Parliamentary groups.
In 1947 Edwin Wijeyeratne was appointed to the Senate and became the Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development in D. S. Senanayake’s government.
Family life
Edwin Wijeyeratne married Leela Pethiyagoda Kumarihamy whose ancestors had fought with Arawwawala Adigar to prevent the Sinhala throne from passing to the Malabars. Arawwawala and Petiyagoda were executed.
Edwin and Lady Wijeyeratne were blessed with three sons. The eldest Tissa Wijeyeratne Barrister at Law, served as Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to France and Switzerland and Senior Advisor (Foreign Affairs) to the Prime Minister.
The second, Deshamanya Dr. Nissanka Wijeyeratne, served as the Government Agent in Anuradhapura and Jaffna, Secretary to Ministry Cultural Affairs, Secretary to Ministry of Information Broadcasting and Transport, Diyawadana Nilame of Sri Dalada Maligawa Kandy, Member of Parliament, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Justice, Member Governing Body of UNESCO head quarters in Paris and Sri Lanka Ambassador to Russian Federation. The youngest Dr. Cuda Wijeyeratne (MRCP) was a doctor of Medicine.
International Affairs
In 1951 he was ushered into an eventful new chapter in his life when D.S. Senanayake elected him as a ‘mastermind’ to represent Dominion of Ceylon in the Council of the world. In the same year, he assumed duties as the Ceylon’s second High Commissioner to Great Britain succeeding Sir Oliver Goonatilleke, where he enjoyed the privilege of moving with kings but managed to maintain the common touch. Born as a Libran, astrologers had identified him as ‘a gift of destiny to Sri Lanka’ comparing him with other international personalities such as Sir Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler and Mussolini who were also Librans.
In the UK, he became a prominent Asian guest at all noble English country estates and castles. His personal camaraderie with Salisbury family made him a frequent visitor to the Hatfield House, home of the Salisbury’s and at Arundel Castle, the home of the ducal family of Norfolk. At the demise of King George VI, he honoured Ceylon by signing on the book of condolences on behalf of his country. During Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation he represented Ceylon as guest of honour at Windsor and Sandringham castles.
Diplomatic Charisma
Edwin Wijeyeratne received the great compliment and honour at the hands of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 at Buckingham Palace. Very few Asians had received such a distinctive tribute in person at the very seat of chivalry. Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne became close to research and student communities in Cambridge, Oxford, London and he was of great assistance to students from Ceylon.
In 1954 Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne assumed duties as the Ceylon High Commissioner to India during his tour of duty he had discussions with Jawaharlal Nehru on the Indian problem. Whilst engaged in Buddhist work at Sanchi, he managed to establish a personal solidarity with the Royal families of Sikkim and Bhutan.
During his tour of duty as the Ceylon High Commissioner for Ceylon in Great Britain, he received a private audience with his Holiness the Pope and the President of Italy. He was entertained by Max Petitpierre, the President of the Swiss Republic; had lunch with President De Gaulle and was the guest of King Leopold in Belgium. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip were entertained by Sri Edwin and Lady Wijeyeratne on three occasions at their residence at No. 21, Addison Road, London, a singular and a unique privilege indeed which no Ambassador has had so far.
Sir Edwin and Lady Wijeyeratne entertained the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester twice and at their most receptions Lord Louis Mountbatten and the Countess had been regular visitors. Simultaneously on five occasions Sir Edwin and Lady Wijeyeratne were guests at “Broadlands” the home of the Mountbatten’s which goes to show the diplomatic connection this Sri Lankan ‘ambassador’ had established.
During a busy schedule of diplomatic missions, Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne represented Ceylon at the Coronation of the King of Nepal and became the guest of honour at private palace at Kathmandu. At the invitation of the Burmese (Myanmar), he carried the sacred relics of Sariputta and Mogallana to Myanmar to become a guest at the Burmese Presidential Palace.
Sir Edwin Wijeyeratne expired on October 19, 1968 in Kegalle, leaving behind a clear-cut image of how to be a true and conscious diplomat and as an ‘ambassador’ to his mother country and paving the path for his successors to emulate and to be proud of their service to Mother Lanka.
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