1. 22nd June 2012
CROSSROADS
Rotary Club of Singapore Vol. 48 / 47
“Closing Speech of the 2011-2012 Rotary year”
Speaker: Tapan Rao, President of the Rotary club of Singapore
Lunch meeting of the 20th June 2012
Find your bulletin on the Facebook page of “Rotary Club of Singapore”
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2. Introductory remarks Toast
President Tapan welcomed members to the last Rtn. Florian Edelmann invited visiting Rtn. Keith
meeting for Rotary year 2011/2012 and called the Bryant to address the Club. Rtn. Keith advised that
meeting to order. his club was the 33rd Rotary Club to be established
and was the 4th largest club in the world with 530
members. He added that the club would be
Happy Birthday ! celebrating its 100th year anniversary since it was
founded in Rotary year 1911/12. Rtn. Keith
President Tapan called upon Sergeant-at-Arms, informed members that San Diego was home of
Rtn. Gerald Abeyawardena who celebrates his the largest military base in the USA, and in fact,
birthday on 21st June, to come forward and cut the many of the military leaders were Rotarians. He
birthday cake. also added that his club members included a
number of CEOs of NGOs such as the Girl Scouts,
American Cross and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Rtn. Florian called on members to join him in
raising a toast to the Club 33 San Diego coupled
with the traditional toast to Rotary International.
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3. Welcome of visiting PP Raymon recounted that at one
Vocational Service Committee
Rotarians and guests meeting, members were
informed of the Major Project,
Rtn. Dr. Rupesh Agrawal and Rtn. Dr. Mark Eger,
welcomed our guests and visiting unhesitating said that he would
Rotarians see if his company could “do
something”. He added that
- Guests : “something” turned out to be a
Ms. Wendy Koh and Ms. Ng Leng magnificent donation of $25,000
Leng (Allianz) from his company, Allianz S E
Ms. Monica Lim Reinsurance Branch Asia. PP
Mrs. Susan Bryant Raymon invited Rtn. Mark to
present his company’s cheque, to
Visiting Rotarians : the Major Project Committee,
Keith Bryant – Club 33 San Diego, which he would then hand to
USA President Tapan.
Upon presenting his company’s
cheque, Rtn. Mark took the
opportunity to inform members
of Allianz’s strong social
engagement around the world,
including the two Trusts
established to support culture
and the environment.
Major Project
President Tapan called upon PP
Raymon Huang, who was
standing in for Rtn. Joseph Chia ,
Chairman of the Club’s Major
Project Committee. He noted
that the beneficiary of the Major
Project was Boys’ Town, an
Institution, which has been
looking after “boys at risk” since
1968. He added that the Major
Project was a worthy project
and called on members who
have not contributed towards it,
to do so quickly.
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4. a minimum of 15 PHFs i.e. 15000 USD It is with his purpose that the BOD for
President Tapan’s Closing per annum to TRF. These would have to 2011-2012 approved that the SPC
be non-designated and 50% of such continued for the year 2011-2012. The
Speech funds will be returned to the district in incoming BOD may consider approving
3years and like in some districts we can their tenure for yet another year. The
It was an unforgettable experience to be
probably work out a permanent final report from SPC is awaited and it
the 77th President of this club.
understanding with the district to draw needs to be on the agenda of the
This was the first year that the club
on these funds for our projects. incoming Board to adopt the SPC report
adopted the "Club Leadership Plan"
2011-2012 was a difficult period in and propose the resolutions required to
(CLP) suggested by Rotary International
recent economic history. The economic make amendment to the constitution to
a few years ago. We had to tweak the
uncertainties, austerity measures and formally incorporate the MCLP. As of now
organisational structure recommended
mergers and acquisitions affected the the MCLP is only a Beta versions.
by RI to suit our club's traditional
life style of many and they affected our At this point I would now like thank my
method of operating. So it would be
Board members too. Many of the Board Board members who devoted their time
probably more appropriate to say that
members were no longer in a position to and effort to make things happen during
we have adopted a modified CLP or
plan their schedules to suit Rotary my year as President. I deem it
MCLP. In this structure certain
responsibilities. They travelled at short appropriate to acknowledge specially
traditional sub committees have been
notices and were invariably held up at those floor members whose efforts made
transformed into well defined Board
work for longer hours. Hence as a a perceptible difference to the Club.
positions with specific responsibilities
President one was compelled to I attended all SPC meetings as a PE & my
and deliverables. We are now aligned
schedule one to one meetings at takeaways from these meetings were
with the way District 3310 functions.
mutually convenient times apart from valuable to the Presidency. Thank you,
The club's performance assessments at
the monthly Board meetings scheduled PDG Philbert Chin and members of the
the District level is based on deliverables
a year in advance. My purpose of SPC namely PP Paliath Mohandas, PP
defined as per the CLP system. A shift in
highlighting this is to suggest that we Sajjad Akhtar, PP Mansoor Hassanbhai, PP
focus was therefore inevitable for the
have to accept a paradigm shift in the Stan Low, Rtn Robert Craiu & Rtn Suresh
President. There is now enhanced thrust
way Rotarians will interact, discuss and Hathiramani.
and importance accorded
conduct meetings in the immediate On another dimension, Past President
to Membership, The Rotary Foundation
future. If we are enlisting younger and Stan Low put a lesson plan in place and
(TRF), PR, (Admin & Finance) & Service.
successful businessmen in our club and brought me up to speed on the forms and
With the Modified CLP in operation
nominate them as Board members than formalities of the president’s office. This
during the year, all reporting at the
we will have to redesign our meeting started early during my year as president
Board meetings were based on
system to involve those who are elect. Meticulous as he is always, he
functions as defined by the new system.
constantly on the move. We have ensured that I had planned out the entire
Being in its first year of implementation,
to consider upgrading our online year’s calendar of events right at the
the President & Board members were
capabilities to include Webiners and beginning of my year. This allowed me to
constantly in a beta mode to evolve best
SKYPE conferencing facilities. This is the plan my business commitments and
practices. Even though the club as a
only way that we can involve the next travel. PP Stan also devoted substantial
whole functioned very effectively, there
generation of high fliers to accept time and effort to help the Vice President
are a lot the still needs to be done to
positions in the Club. May be the & Membership Chair, Ashi Sarwal. He
strengthen all thrust areas. The Rotary
incoming team of office bearers will designed a standard system for imparting
Foundation Chair has such a challenging
study this need in detail. RI is already basic information about Rotary and the
task in the years to come. During my
conducting several experiments in this club for prospective members. All the 19
year in office, I could not delink TRF
area. new members were personally met by PP
from International Service Committee.
In the previous Rotary year, (now) IPP Stan to brief them about Rotary
Paul Harris Fellow contributions (PHF) in
Bala put together a group of movement & the history and heritage of
our club is entirely associated with
knowledgable members & PPs to Rotary Club of Singapore.
matching grant projects. Our
redesign the club SOP and put it in line The guest speakers’ at our club’s regular
contribution to non-designated PHF
with the MCLP structure. This meetings were eminent leaders in their
during the year was in the region of only
committee was called the "Strategic profession and the Rotarians enjoyed
5000 USD. The expectation from RI
Planning Committee". PDG Dr. Philbert listening to each one of the 47 weekly
under the Every Rotarian Every Year
Chin headed this committee. It was my speakers. Rotarian Joseph Chia
(EREY) is minimum 100 USD per
recommendation that the SPC should be coordinated the entire speakers’
member per year and for the size of our
in place for 3 years. program. He worked so silently behind
club we are expected to contribute
the scene that it seemed as if the
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5. program was on auto pilot and needed 4. Vocational Service Award – Rotary which resulted in greater involvement in
no Rotarian intervention. Yet it is a fact Youth Social Enterprise Challenge. club projects.
that to find a speaker & coordinate the Congratulations, RYSEC Project Rotary Club of Singapore organised the
dates and schedules of 47 important Convenor, Rotarian Sirish Kumar. World Understanding and Peace Day
men and women, including requests for Rtn Sirish practically worked full time for celebration on behalf of all the Rotary
last minute rescheduling is some task! 3 months to organise mentoring Clubs of Singapore. It was supposed to
Rtn. Joseph, ensured that there were no sessions for young aspirants to develop have been RC Singapore West but they
hitches at all. business plans and launch their social regretted last minutes.
Rotarian Paul Phua’s passion for New enterprises. He also ensured that a 150 The Diwali Nite jointly organised with
Generations Service is indeed member alumni was put together & Inner Wheel Club of Singapore was a hit
commendable. As always he worked were in constant engagement with with 160 participants. It attracted the
tirelessly to guide the NGS in its efforts Rotary Club of Singapore and had access largest participation in recent times.
to develop the youth of today to assume to a pool of experts put together by the Sister Club Visit – A team of 13 volunteers
the responsibilities of tomorrow. He was RYSEC committee. A great responsibility, of Rotarians and spouses from the club
present at every installation of all well delivered! visited sister clubs in Japan to express
Interact Clubs. He guided me on all 5. International Service Award – Mega their solidarity and also spent a week
matters of New Generations Service. Free Eye Camp, India. Approximately volunteering to clear children’s
Dedicated floor members like him make 982 cataract (IOL) surgeries were playground of bits of glass and other
a great difference to the club. Thank you conducted. Congratulations Director of debris left by the Tsunami. The team also
Rtn Paul Phua. International Service Committee, Rtn. provided physical labour to off load
All Board members were active Gary Goh. The gift of sight is probably supplies from trucks for the Tsunami
professionals who were constantly on the best gift one can give the elderly, affected areas.
the move. They were not in control of weak and the underprivileged. This was reciprocated by a visit of 15
their schedules in the current economic 6. Club Bulletin Award. Congratulations Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Osaka
uncertainties. Yet they were available to Rtn Jean-Philippe Lionnet who is Semba. Rtn Mohan Vaswani & Rtn Shoichi
whenever I cried “help”. The service probably the newest Rotarian in the sponsored and organised the dinner at
committee Directors made necessary 2011-2012 team of office bearers. Tower Club. Thank you.
efforts at every stage to ensure that Thanks to his effort, we will have 47 Our club members also attended a
their committees met regularly as issues of the Crossroads in our archives. fellowship organised by RC Bangrak in
planned and executed projects as 7. New Generations Service Award – Bangkok.
scheduled. Their dedicated Raffles Institution (Year 1 to 4) Day-Out Major Project – Boys’ Town is this year’s
contributions resulted in the Club being project to bring 25 disadvantaged beneficiary of the Major Project. The club
recognised and awarded in practically all children beneficiaries to Universal is raising a sum of S$100,000 to provide
spheres of a Rotary Club activity. It is my Studios Singapore. A big thank you goes equipment for a new gym. We are
pleasure to list these recognitions and out to NGS Director Koh Juay Meng. thankful to the two partners in this
awards, received during the year from Under his leadership NGS continued to project – 1) Patrick Hernon Trust Fund
District 3310, along with the credits due: flourish. He organised an exceptional and 2) Rtn Dr. Mark Eger, whose
1. Outstanding Club : Thank you all. leadership camp at NACLI for all the employer, Alliance Reinsurance Asia
2. Outstanding President : Thank you Interact office bearers early in the Pacific pledged an amount of S$25000. I
Board. Thank you Executive secretary, Rotary year. KJM as I call him is a great also wish to acknowledge Rtn Irina
Mrs. Bernadette Ng and Ms. Ivy. They leader and a great help! Francken for conceiving and assuming
made my job so much easier. They met 8. Public Relations Award – responsibility for the completion.
all deadlines from District & RI. Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2011 Honorary Membership – I am pleased
3. Membership Award for highest net was covered and broadcasted that both Past Presidents J. M. Jumabhoy
increase: extensively by CNA. Project Convenor and Koh Choon Hui have accepted to be
This credit goes to Membership Chair & for Rotary ASME Entrepreneur of the the Honorary members of our Club. The
VP Rtn Ashi Sarwal, who committed to a Year Award, PP Stan Low needs a special club has 15 Honorary members.
plan with District Governor in round of applause for a great job done. Secretariat Relocation –On 30th
September 2011 and executed the plan Fellowships Programmes – Hon September 2011, the secretariat moved
to perfection. His charm and persuasion Secretary Rtn Goh Bock Seng organised to its current location at 1A International
motivated PP Dr. Oliver Hennedige and an evening fellowship meet every Business Park #12-02, Singapore
PP Stan Low to help him at every stage Tuesday which was attended by many of 609933. We are indebted to our
to achieve what he set out to do. Thank the newer Rotarians. A warm member, Rtn. Mohan Vaswani, who has
you, PP Dr. Oliver Hennedige and PP camaraderie developed among older made available office space for the Club’s
Stan Low. Thank you, Ashi. and newer Rotarians, use.
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6. It is customary for a President to buy
gifts for all those who contributed to Last bulletin of the Rotary year
make his year successful. So I will
contribute two PHFs in recognition of all
help and guidance I received during the To wrap up this bulletin, I would like to thank all the
year. persons that made this year’s bulletin possible,
Thank you.“ reliable and as neat as possible.
Thank you Bernie for your notes and updates, Ivy for
Vote of thanks the constant support, Rtn. Xavier for the initial design
and helping me to start smoothly, PP Raymond for his
articles and Rtn Rewa for all the jokes that I have
Sergeant-at-Arms, Rtn. Gerald been constantly using and reading.
Abeyawardena called upon PP Bhagwan Thank you Tapan for giving me the opportunity to get
Melwani to extend the Club’s vote of
to know more of our club.
thanks. PP Bhagwan stated that he had
wanted to acknowledge the list of
achievements acknowledged by the For the other Rotarians, thank you for reading the
District, however this was already bulletin, spreading it, forwarding it.
described by President Tapan in his I encourage you to make use of the bulletin for your
speech.
future projects, announcements etc.
PP Bhagwan noted that President has
been actively involved in all the Club’s Wishing you all the best to PE Jimmy for the
projects and his presence was felt in all Installation night.
the committees and on overseas visits.
He added that it has been a wonderful
Rtn Jean-Philippe Lionnet
year for the Club and President Tapan
would be remembered for his personal Editor of the bulletin 2011-12
involvement in all the activities.
PP Bhagwan also added a vote of thanks
to Mrs. Prabha Rao, he noted that
without the help of his wife, the
President would not be able to do much.
He noted that Prabha was very much
involved in person and gave her support
which was very appreciated.
PP Bhagwan called on members to join
him in extending a standing ovation to
President Tapan for his good work.
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7. The Guide to Daily Living
MARK YOUR DIARY Before doing the things we COMING ROTARY EVENTS
Birthday celebrants want to do, consider first, the
RC wishes Happy Birthday to precept of the guide. Ask
celebrants this week: ourselves these 4 questions June
June 28th – Edward Loy and act upon them: Rotary Fellowships Month
First: Have I spent some time
July 4th – PP Dr. Yap Lip Kee
in self-examination?
July 6th – PP Philip Leong June 27th
Second: Have I spent quality
July 7th – Rudi Ackermann time with my family? Meeting Cancelled in view of
July 9th – Yong Poh Shin Third: Have I given my best to the Installation Dinner on
my work? June 30th
Anniversary Celebrants Fourth: Have I given some
RC sends best wishes to time to someone near and June 30th
Wedding Anniversary far? Installation Dinner
celebrants this week The Guide, in fact,
encompasses the 4 parts of July
June 27th – Kaustubh &
the Object of Rotary. July 4th
Wrushali Bodhankar
1st Club Assembly for Rotary
July 5th – PP Dr. Patrick &
Next week Year 2012/2013
Lillian Chin
July 6th – PP Alfred & Joyce July 4th 2012
July 12th
Wong, Vicki Chan & Maurice
Visit to the Singapore
July 8th – Dr. Irina & Nico 1st Club Assembly for Rotary Garden Festival with the
Francken Year 2012/2013 residents of the Sree
Narayana Home for the Aged
This week Community Service
June 27th 2012 Date: Thursday, 5th July The Four-Way Test
Time: To be advised Of the Things we think, say
Venue: To be advised or do:
* Is it the truth?
Meeting cancelled in view of Host: To be advised
* Is it fair to all concerned?
the Installation Dinner on * Will it build goodwill and
Saturday 30th June at 6.30pm better friendship?
* Will it be beneficial to all
(cocktails) at :
concerned?
Joyden Hall, 7th floor
BUGIS+ (formerly known as Queries, comments and
Iluma) articles request can be
201 Victoria Street, S188067 sent to
bulletin@rotary.org.sg
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