If you and hubby are thinking of adding a new member to your family next year, you may be pleased to know that there will be a surprise birthday gift waiting for your baby to mark the special day.
Singaporean babies born in 2015 will receive a special Jubilee Baby Gift from the Government.
According to local news reports, all Singaporean babies born in 2015 will receive a celebratory Jubilee Baby Gift from the Government, in celebration of the nation’s Golden Jubilee.
This initiative was conceived after rounds of discussions between the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) and stakeholders, and focus group sessions with Singaporeans to get their views on how the nation should celebrate the birth of the Golden Jubilee babies. The common suggestion was to give a meaningful gift to mark the significance of the babies born in the same year as Singapore’s 50th year of independence.
Share your ideas for the gift
Singaporeans are invited to contribute ideas on what The Jubilee Baby Gift should include through this website, from now until 15 May 2014.
Suggestions for gift ideas can also be made at various feedback booths across the island. The first 2 setups of “The Jubilee Baby Gift” feedback booths will be located at Jurong Point from April 5 to 6, and VivoCity from April 12 to 13.
To stay updated on the location and dates of upcoming feedback booths, do check the REACH website and Facebook page – or log on to The Jubilee Baby Gift microsite.
Click on the next page for more details on The Jubilee Baby Gift.
Voting for the gift
You can vote for what The Jubilee Baby Gift should include based on the shortlisted suggestions.
After collating the suggestions from the public, the NTPD will consult a panel of advisors (comprising people sector and community representatives) and come up with a shortlist of gift ideas.
The shortlisted gift suggestions will be published on The Jubilee Baby Gift microsite and at the various feedback booths islandwide where Singaporeans can cast their votes on what should be included in The Jubilee Baby Gift.
The voting period for this is set to take place from 18 April to 15 May 2014.
Sentiments on The Jubilee Baby Gift
When asked by reporters on what The Jubilee Baby Gift should be, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Grace Fu said that she would like to give “a sarong for the mother to wrap the baby in, and the sarong will probably have the motif of the Singapore flag on it.”
Should the Jubilee Baby Gift be a significant memento or a voucher that parents can use to purchase necessities for their baby?
However, Singaporean parents have different views on what the gift should be. 26-year-old newlywed Murshida Mustafa told My Paper she hopes that the gift will be a voucher that parents can use to purchase necessities for the baby, instead of a keepsake.
“As parents, such a memento may be significant to us because we understand Singapore’s history. But a voucher will be more useful for children,” she said.
There were a total of 39,874 births recorded in Singapore last year, which is a drop of 6.5% compared to the ‘dragon year’ in 2012.
So, will this special Jubilee Baby Gift initiative by the Government help to push up the country’s birth rate next year? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
References:
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/jubilee-baby-gift-for/1055818.html?cid=FBSG
https://mypaper.sg/top-stories/jubilee-gift-next-years-spore-babies-20140402
