Singapore government plays Cupid for Valentine's Day

In a city where many singles say they are too busy making money to make love, the government plans to step up its official "Romancing Singapore" campaign on Thursday, the traditional lovers' day, to encourage people to take up dating.

The campaign, launched in 2002 and managed commercially by the private sector since 2005, has lined up a series of events throughout February and on Valentine's Day itself to try to reverse the falling birthrate.

And a separate initiative sees the government directly funding efforts to promote romance.

In 2006 it launched the one-million-Singapore-dollar (704,000 US) Partner Connection Fund to support dating agencies that come up with what it called new "social interaction opportunities" for singles.

"A lot of countries, they let nature take its course but in Singapore because of our work and lifestyle, we don't have a lot of time," said Andrew Chow, a manager with Romancing Singapore.

"We are trying to educate the singles that dating is in fact a lifestyle. I think nowhere else in the world does things like Singapore."

Among the events Romancing Singapore has planned to give Cupid a helping hand is an evening date on the newly-opened Singapore Flyer, the world's tallest observation wheel of 42 storeys high.

The Valentine's Day event, billed as "Love In A Capsule," is organised by Romancing Singapore and Clique Wise, another social networking outfit.

Love comes at a price, though -- a date on the Singapore Flyer costs 140 US dollars, which includes a gourmet dinner at a spa resort. All 24 slots have been booked, said Chow.

Violet Lim, co-founder of dating agency Lunch Actually, agreed Singapore's fast-paced lifestyle has made it hard for couples to connect.

"We play the role of an introducer," she said. "A lot of people who join us, they are not exactly people who can't find dates on their own. I would say it's more due to their schedules."

如今，新加坡的很多单身人士称自己工作太忙、无暇约会，针对这一状况，新加坡政府计划于本周四的情人节加大其“浪漫新加坡”官方活动的力度，以鼓励人们约会。

该项于2002年发起的活动从2005年开始由私人进行商业运作。以抑制不断下降的生育率为目的的一系列活动贯穿整个二月和情人节当天。

此外，政府还推出了另一项“促进浪漫”的直接资助计划。

新加坡政府于2006年推出一项100万新元（70.4万美元）的“派对基金”，专为向单身人士提供“社会互动新机会”的约会中介所提供资金支持。

“浪漫新加坡”的Andrew Chow经理说：“很多国家都是顺其自然，但在新加坡，我们的工作和生活方式使得我们没有足够的时间来做这件事。”

“我们正努力向单身人士宣传‘约会是一种生活方式’的观念。我想世界上其它地方不会像新加坡这样做。”

在“浪漫新加坡”筹划的一系列活动中，晚间派对活动“帮丘比特一个忙”将在新建的新加坡摩天观景轮上举行，新加坡摩天观景轮有42层楼高，是世界上最高的摩天轮。

由“浪漫新加坡”和Clique Wise社交中介所组织的“Love In A Capsule”活动在情人节当天举行。

不过爱情是“有价的”——在新加坡摩天观景轮上约会需花费140美元，其中还包括在温泉休闲区的一顿精美大餐。Andrew Chow说，所有24个位子都已被预订。

Lunch Actually 婚介所的创办人之一Violet Limy也认为，新加坡快节奏的生活方式使得人们很难与异性接触。

她说：“我们充当了一个介绍人的角色。很多求助于我们的人并不是自己找不着对象，而是他们太忙了。”

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