SINGAPORE – Well-known theatre practitioner Beatrice Chia-Richmond has been summoned to court by Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) to be questioned over the finances of her concert promotion company, Running Into The Sun (Rits).

Rits, which organised Ah Boys To Men: The Musical held at the integrated resort in 2014, had failed to pay RWS about $200,000 in relation to the musical.

It is stipulated in the contract that RWS is to get a 15 per cent share of the gross ticket revenue and cash sponsorship from the event. Rits had also agreed to bear additional or overtime manpower costs.

Rits was to pay RWS about $215,000 – $173,000 being RWS’ entitlement of the revenue and $43,000 in manpower cost.

After making a partial payment of $17,000 Rits agreed that it owed RWS about $199,000.

Despite numerous reminders, Rits failed to pay the outstanding sum.

RWS successfully sued Rits for the rest of the money last year and won by default as Rits did not defend the lawsuit.

But Rits has yet to pay a single cent of the $200,000 judgment sum awarded by the State Courts – the $199,000 owed to RWS and $1,800 in legal costs.

Last month, RWS applied for Mrs Chia-Richmond as well as Ms Wendy Ng, both of whom were directors of Rits at the time, to be summoned to court for a hearing, known as an examination of judgment debtor, in which someone who loses a lawsuit is questioned on the possible assets that are available to pay the judgment sum ordered by the court.

Rits is well-known for bringing in major K-pop acts such as Super Junior and Girls’ Generation.

Mrs Chia-Richmond, 42, who was creative director of this year’s National Day Parade, appeared in court last week. The hearing has been adjourned to Oct 3.

This article was first published on September 6, 2016.
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SINGAPORE – An additional 17 local cases of Zika were confirmed on Tuesday (Sep 6), pushing up the total number of cases in Singapore to 275.

A joint statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) also revealed a potential new cluster at Bishan Street 12, in the wake of a previously reported case and a new case there today. NEA said it will carry out vector control operations and outreach efforts there.

Of the 17 new cases, 10 are linked to the Aljunied Crescent / Sims Drive / Kallang Way / Paya Lebar Way cluster. The other six cases have no known links to any existing cluster.

NEA said it has continued vector control operations in Aljunied Crescent, Sims Drive, Paya Lebar Way and Kallang Way. It has expanded operations to cover the nearby areas of this cluster such as Circuit Road, Geylang East Central, Geylang East Avenue 1.

Fighting Zika: Which mosquito repellent to use

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The Straits Times, New Straits Times, Avon

As of Sep 5, 65 breeding spots in that cluster – comprising 38 in homes and 27 in common areas or other premises – have been detected and wiped out, reported the agency.

Meanwhile, NEA’s efforts in vector control operations in Bedok North Avenue will continue. So far, 67 breeding habitats there – comprising 56 in homes and 11 in common areas and other premises – have been detected and destroyed.

NEA said its efforts at Joo Seng Road are ongoing after a potential cluster was found there. As of Sep 5, two instances of breeding in common areas or other premises there have been found and destroyed.

Related: Zika outbreak could impact slowing economy in Singapore

PM Lee calls on ASEAN countries to fight Zika jointly

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today (Sep 6) called on ASEAN countries to “join hands” to fight Zika, while keeping the region open for business and trade, reported Channel News Asia.

“It is imperative for us to work together to combat Zika,but we should put Zika in the proper context,” Mr Lee said. “Given the presence of the Aedes mosquito, Zika may become endemic in our region, just like dengue,” Mr Lee said at the ASEAN Summit held in Laos.

“We should prepare ourselves for a possibly extended campaign against Zika but ensure that the region remains open and connected for business and trade,” he said.

Locally-transmitted Zika in Singapore

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The Straits Times, The New Paper

NTUC FairPrice appeals to shoppers not to hoard repellents

The demand for insect repellent and insecticide has seen an upsurge by more than 10 times compared to a month before, according to NTUC FairPrice.

In a media release on Tuesday (Sep 6), the supermarket chain said it sold more than 115,000 anti-mosquito products between Sept 1 and 4. This has resulted in “intermittent availability” of the products across more than 130 of its stores.

FairPrice placed an additional order for 175,000 items, which will be made available from today to the end of the week.

Urging consumers not to hoard, its CEO Seah Kian Peng advised consumers to buy only the quantity they need.

chenj@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE – A Zika outbreak in Singapore could have a small impact on the almost US$300 billion (S$406 billion) economy, the central bank chief said on Tuesday, as the mosquito-borne virus spreads across the global financial and transit hub.

Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, did not give further details, but the outbreak coincides with a dip in overall exports and growth in the trade-dependent economy. Growth is also slowing in China, Singapore’s main overseas market.

“It’s too early to tell. I would say early indications are there could be some small impact, but it’s not likely to be significant from an overall economy outcome,” Menon told reporters when asked about the impact of Zika.

“But really, it’s still early days,” he said at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association in Singapore.

Small, tropical Singapore reported its first locally infected Zika patient on Aug. 27 and since then, the number of reported infections has reached 275, with 17 more cases reported on Tuesday.

Health officials say the figure will rise, as the Aedes mosquitoes that carry the virus are all over the island, and hospitals have stopped isolating patients.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was quoted on the Channel News Asia website as calling at a regional summit in Laos for the 10 Southeast Asian countries to “join hands” to fight Zika, while keeping the region open for business and trade.

What is the Zika virus?

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Reuters, The Straits Times, The New Paper, NEA

“It is imperative for us to work together to combat Zika, but we should put Zika in the proper context,” Lee said. “Given the presence of the Aedes mosquito, Zika may become endemic in our region, just like dengue.”

“We should prepare ourselves for a possibly extended campaign against Zika but ensure that the region remains open and connected for business and trade.”

Last month, Singapore narrowed its economic growth forecast for the year to 1-2 per cent from 1-3 per cent growth previously expected, citing concerns over Brexit and weak global demand.

Economists said tourism and retail would be the areas most affected by Zika, which could in turn hold back growth. Tourism arrivals in the first six months of the year have increased 12.5 per cent from a year ago, official statistics show.

“Tourism is about voluntary trips and this is going to have a dent,” said Trinh Nguyen, senior economist for emerging-market Asia at French investment bank Natixis SA in Hong Kong.

“Zika will impact sentiment and people’s already low propensity to consume.”

SLOWER SALES

Retail sales excluding motor vehicles fell year-on-year in June for the fifth straight month, as worries about the sluggish global economy drove Singaporeans to cut spending.

Singapore is due to host a Formula One motor-racing Grand Prix next week. Promoters of the race say preparations are going on as usual. The Tourism Board says Singapore remains a safe destination.

Chan Brothers Travel, one of Singapore’s biggest travel agencies, told Reuters there had been no cancellations but new bookings may slow down.

While most people experience mild symptoms, Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly, a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized. In adults, it can cause a rare neurological syndrome called Guillain-Barre.

Zika is also affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit. In Southeast Asia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand have also reported Zika infections.

Regional health experts said a lack of adequate testing meant the spread of Zika was likely significantly under-reported.