Critique............ With a Blazing Gun.

The Orchard Road had been totally refreshed with a SS40 million makeover! Or that is what the officials claim. If you ask me, I would say it was a complete failure and a waste of money.

Before you scoff the S$40 million off, think of it as this way. S$40m is equivalent to S$40,000,000.00, or the salary of 33 334 McDonald's workers and coming from our own pockets too. Now do you get the rough idea of how much money did the government channel into this project?

The "Orchard Road Grand Makeover" had been commented by many to be, "...totally irrelevant", "unnoticeable", "...such a waste of taxpayer's money...", even "...added unnecessary obstacles to the path, and all paid from our tax." and "..completely wasteful." Some even question the government's motive behind all of these, and whether just a portion had been used off the record book.

In a recession, profits from the tourism sector of a country, especially one like Singapore, which is heavily dependant on imports, is of high priority. The S$40m effort to rekindle the flame in one of Singapore's most popular tourism spots is very understandable. However to say the results were a disappointment is an understatement: it was an unnoticeable effort which might as well not be there at all, and to add oil to the fire, it cost a whopping S$40m too. To a tourist who had been here and done that, Orchard Road is no different from what they remember of their experience. Which pretty much could be said that the makeover was a total catastrophe, failing abysmally in its goals, which were to attract even more tourists with the new features.

Instead, the construction works; the hastily boarded-up areas, acrid smoke and dust, noise and sweating and filthy construction workers (not that I am prejudiced, but this is a fact. Who would prefer to see construction workers on their vacation, and at a sightseeing hotspot somemore?) works (pun intended) instead against the image of the heartland of the Lion City. Some tourists even expressed deep disappointment at these eyesores, and some tourists even swore never to return to Singapore. Ever again. Now did the makeover complete its objective?

The government denied and defended its decision in the papers, citing and quoting almost everyone and everything under the skies. But the public opinion had remained unwavering; that there was no noticeable difference between the "Old" and "New" Orchard Road, and all that money, had went to waste.

*This commentary is commissioned by as part of an educational syllabus. This does not necessary express or represent the author's stand on the topic. Do not quote this. Any liability will be shouldered by the educational institution and not the author.