news 4 Thursday April 2, 2009 TODAY
You can’t pass without a baby
SINGAPORE ROUNDUP
Apply to bar problem
gamblers from casinos
Applications opened yesterday for fami-
lies of problem gamblers to have them
barred from entering the casinos at
Singapore’s two integrated resorts.
Immediate family members such as
spouses, children, parents and siblings,
including adopted and step relations, can
apply for the Family Exclusion Orders
(FEO), which serve as a social safeguard
for problem gamblers and those with
financial difficulties.
One man tried to prove that he was indeed a father by showing his children’s pictures to
the ‘pedestrian policeman’ at Vivo City, but to no avail. He was told that he would be issued
with a ticket for trying to get past the Electronic Baby Pricing (EBP) sign — sounds familiar?
— without any children in tow.
Only those with a stroller or carrying a baby were allowed to pass the sign without being ‘fined’.
Shoppers later learnt that the so-called new system to reward parents was an April Fools’
Day joke played on them by Huggies, a leading diaper brand. Those who were ‘fined’ didn’t
have to fork out a cent; they got cupcakes instead.
Ms Tammy Loo, Huggies’ marketing manager, said: ‘We thought that an April Fools’ Day
joke would be really a fun way to reach out not only to parents but also the general public.’
Raffles Hotel
Want to save money?
Close the toilets ...
Teo Xuanwei
xuanwei@mediacorp.com.sg
THE higher the rating, the more expecta-
tions there are of a hotel and the state of
its public washrooms as well.
Or in the case of the six-star Raffles
Hotel, to how convenient it is to find one
that is open. A recent decision by the ho-
tel’s management to close two of its public
toilets and shorten the hours for the others
has upset some tenants.
On Tuesday, a letter was sent to tenants
of its shopping arcade informing them of
the decision — with immediate effect.
There are nine restrooms in the property.
When Today visited the hotel yesterday
afternoon, several tenants said they were
worried about how their businesses may
be hit.
“This is really embarrassing,” said a
retailer who declined to be named. “I un-
derstand everyone has to cut costs now,
but there are surely many other better
ways to do it.
“How much money can you save like
this?”
Louis Vuitton, The HourGlass, Swarovski
and BP De Silva Jewellers are some retail-
ers in the hotel’s three-storey shopping
arcade.
When contacted, a hotel spokesman
said that the “operation hours” of some
of the washrooms “have been adjusted in
Minors below 21 and those with physi-
cal or mental impairment can also apply
for the FEO with an extended family
member, or a Minister-appointed person.
Applications must be made in person
at the Tanjong Pagar Family Service
Centre at 298 Tiong Bahru Road, #03-06,
Central Plaza.
Enquiries and other issues can also
be made through the National Problem
Gambling Helpline at 1800 6668 668.
CHANNEL NEWSASIA
FAIZAL
conjunction with the operation hours of
the restaurants and shops there.
The hotel said that there are sufficient
public washrooms for both patrons’ and
residents’ use. It did not say how much
money would be saved by such a move.
One business affected by the decision
is Beauty@Genesis. The spa is located be-
side a restroom that can only be used from
11.30am to 2.30pm and from 6.30pm to
10pm each day. Its clients have to use the
ground floor toilet about 30 metres away
at other times.
“When you’re going for a spa treatment
at Raffles Hotel, you don’t expect to have
to walk so far in a robe to go to the toilet,”
said a member of its staff.
“It’s absurd, excessive and really em-
barrassing. You can’t just take away public
amenities like that.”
There are also “bottlenecks” at some
toilets, claimed some tenants.
“There is a queue to use the toilet and
when you get in, there’s no toilet paper,”
said another retailer. “It’s one thing for staff
here to be inconvenienced, but it’s another
thing if our customers have to suffer too.”
Some hotel guests expressed surprise
when told of the hotel’s decision.
“Inconveniences aside, it’s not good for
the image of a top hotel,” said consultant
Karen Sim.
A Raffles Hotel spokesman said it will
“certainly review” the tenants’ feedback.