Straits Times, 23 June 2010, Page C2
Reporter: Amelia Tan
The headlines says:
Free YOG Village stay for 200 boys
But the report says:
“The ‘stay and play programme’ , which spans two days and one night, gives organisers a chance to test the Village’s readiness to host the world’s best young athletes during the August 14-26 inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
Participants will tuck into the same buffet spread that will be served during the Games, spend a night in the rooms where the athletes will stay, and attend cultural and educational activities….
A $150 early-bird fee was charged for those who signed up before June 30, and $188 for those who signed up after.
Youth Olympic Village director Sheryl Lim said participants are required to pay fees to defray the costs of meals and services at the Village.
About 1,000 people have signed up for the programme.”
PS: 200 tickets are being sponsored by two individuals for 200 students. 1,000 students have signed up for the programme.
Questions:
1. Do the real youth athletes, from all the countries, have to pay when they stay at the Village as well?
2. The organisers want to “test the Village’s readiness” but it is making students pay for this?
3. Is the fee for “per head” or “per room”?
4. Is the Straits Times report’s headlines misleading?
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Read also: YOG budget balloons – S$104m to S$387m
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What is up with ST headlines, man?!
Where does this “free stay” come into play, if they have to pay?
And if the organisers want to “test”, then they jolly well make it free!
Lucky my kids not asked to be involved in this “readiness test”.
I think the Youth Olympic Village should pay the students who are willing to test out the facilities at the village.
I am taking my car for servicing tomorrow. Anyone interested to pay me to service my car and test its roadworthiness?
Guess the milking have to be started from young….so they’ll get used to it when they become adult lesser mortals
Why go, if they have to pay?
And are they using Edusave or something of the kid?
But good money making idea and its good to have a complete test.
Glad, the organiser knows and must make sure food is catered well, or we are going to have many complaints.
free…..someone ever mentioned there’s no free lunch….and you people still expect to have free 2 days 1 night stay with makan….fat hope…..
seriously what is the $300+ million spent (or splurged) on?
how much cost still need to be defrayed by the people? where’s the financial prudence?
strangely when the last ecomonic crisis hit S’pore, people who are retrenched or had their salaries cut, govt was so reluctant to give out financial aid…
Director of Youth Olumpic Village said that the fees are to defray the cost of meals and services!!
It’s interesting to know whether the food
they supply are from the hawker centres, food courts or restaurants!!
Else foreign participants will complain if the food is not up to standard!!
Btw, what type of ‘service’ do they provide?? Anyone knows??
fwah lau! lucky we are not livin in the dark aged under caesarLEE…
imagined this scenario…..
you kannaed whipped..darn shiok if mixed with hot candle wax…
than you do a swordfightin wearin a sumo balls wrappin with sweatee body…
your employer mrs caesar come alon..summoned you to her chamber to hold her robe while she bath in fragrance rose pedal water sippin her romanian wine…
than you are summoned to an openned arena where the 1st part of the show is seein christians been fed to the lions
than come your turn..
1st level you have to use your ca$hcard to unlock the gladiator gates..you ear a bip..next you got to store your ca$hcard in that same sweaty gstring sumo underwear…you enter arena..you hear your ca$hcard bip…if 2 bips meant you are enterin prime time where you see so many bosomclad nay nays…how to fight is way beyon me..
you do your swordfightin pattern machiam machiam ala john woo..
ping piang..z z ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
you win by slicin off the head of the other bloke…cancerLEE charged you for manslaughter becoz you just killed his champion/stud as well…and if think that is bad…your goldcoin had to pay 1/2 to pay for the coffin of that bloke you just slained… not forgettin good and severed headtax as well…
if you are lousy..your head flies off..
cancerLEE chiongkonged your hut/wife/child..maked them into slaves for life….
and if your head didn’t flies off…
you will be crucifix into a wooden cross and still had to pay for the carpenter..
either way you are dead…
HAIL caesarLEE
the next time,a glc pharmaceutical company wants to TEST its new drug,they will as for volunteers but they must pay.
what a joke!
hey,is this place called Pay And Pay YOG Village?
my god. this is repulsive.
So, if indeed the YOG Village is found not ready and wanting, do the students get any refund? Or that is part of the experience?
The headlines “Free YOG village stay for 200 boys”
This is the typical headlines to mislead readers who just take a glance.
It reminds one of those misleading advertisements put up by ‘ah beng’ companies selling electronic goods.
CAN’T TRUST THE STRAITS TIMES
A $150 early-bird fee was charged for those who signed up before June 30, and $188 for those who signed up after.
maybe the stay IS free,… but not the meals & who-knows-what services there is?
time will tell if it really is a stress test. if MSM cannot be trusted for coming up with a more accurate headline to reflect the nature of the stress test, i highly doubt they can be trusted to put any shortcomings (if there is) in bold either.
on a side note,…
for all the effort & resources that went into this event, i wonder about the negative impact on the environment (what’s the carbon footprint?) & that of the up-&-coming F1 race…
hahaha… testing by the govt also must pay. The kids and parents nowadays really being fooled by the PAP. Dunno how to ask quesions. Really sad for this Victorians. Don’t worry boys… in another 3 to 4 years time you will get a “free” holiday camp to Tekong Resort.
LIONS ROAR 23 July 2010 the next time,a glc pharmaceutical company wants to TEST its new drug,they will as for volunteers but they must pay.
what a joke!
hey,is this place called Pay And Pay YOG Village?
…………………
remembered the h1n1 virus jab? other poorer countries..free or whatever you all can pay/donate?
singapoor……..$200+7% gst….
and when it didn’t sell as much as dr khaw prediCT..so when the h1n1 jab is near expiry.. what did he do? he donate it for FREE to indonesia instead of jabbin into our poorer peasants’ family..
Is Teo Ser Luck still the President of the OVA?