His Excellency, Mr. Chris C. Sanders, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,

Mr Andrew Baartscheer, President of Hollandse Club,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

Good evening

It is my pleasure to join you this evening to witness the Centennial Ceremony of the Hollandse Club Singapore and share this important milestone in the Club’s history. Singapore is a relatively young country and very few organisations have the distinction of reaching 100 years.  Therefore tonight’s celebration is indeed significant.

            Singapore and The Netherlands have a long history to share. The Netherlands was among the first countries to recognise and establish diplomatic relations with Singapore in 1965. Renowned Dutch economist, Mr Albert Winsemius, also provided the Singapore Government with invaluable advice in the early phases of our economic development post-independence. There are also regular bilateral exchanges between both countries in the areas of economic relations as well as educational and cultural cooperation. 

The Netherlands is also an important economic partner of Singapore. We share many similarities in our outward orientation and pragmatism to overcome our small domestic markets. Our horizons are global and we believe in free trade and sustainable growth. The Netherlands is Singapore’s 4th largest trading partner in the EU in 2007, with trade between both countries amounting to S$13.1 billion. The Netherlands is also the second largest European investor in Singapore and the fourth largest overall investor after the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan.  

With significant amount of bilateral exchanges and Dutch investment in Singapore, it is no surprise that there is a Dutch community in Singapore.  The Hollandse Club in Singapore started with a simple social objective – to provide a place for early Singapore Dutch community to socialise together and offer support for their business people and families alike.  The secret to the Club’s longevity lies in its continual fulfilment of these social objectives.

I am heartened to note the Hollandse Club has tapped on the rich cultural diversity of Singapore in organising an exciting calendar of activities under its Social and Cultural Activities programme. I am also pleased to see first-class sporting facilities at the Club, which caters to members with different interests and levels of expertise. Participation in sports and social activities provides excellent opportunities for members to bond and interact with others in the community and promote social harmony and understanding. Harmony and tolerance between religions and ethnic communities is something of great importance for both our societies.

It is encouraging to see that the Hollandse Club has undertaken a Pro-Family Pledge to provide a safe, secure and fun environment for families. The dedication to that pledge is evident in the children’s menus at the restaurants, the various playrooms catering to different age groups and the slew of activities organised for children and teenagers throughout the year.  Happy, interested children usually have a positive impact on their parents, which makes the Club an ideal venue to spend time.

This Club has grown from very humble beginnings into a well-blended international community, with members from more than 40 nationalities. I am sure the founding members would have been proud of your achievement. Once again, congratulations on your Centennial Day and I wish everyone a pleasant evening ahead. Thank you.

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