Opening Address by Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Finance and Education, at the Launch of the Inaugural Singapore Geospatial Week and GeoWorks' First Anniversary Celebration, on 2 Sep 2019, at PSA Building

Mr Lim Sim Seng, Chairman of the Singapore Land Authority

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning.

1. Thank you for inviting me to join you here today.

Inaugural Singapore Geospatial Week

2. This is the inaugural Singapore Geospatial Week, and geospatial - or location-based information and technology - has become an integral part of Singapore’s society, and a key enabler of our Smart Nation initiative.

a. Public agencies use geospatial technology to improve policy planning, operations and service delivery. For example, the Municipal Services Office’s OneService app is a one-stop platform for citizens to geotag and report issues to relevant agencies quickly and conveniently.

b. Businesses use geospatial technology to optimise processes and create innovative offerings for their customers. So for example, Grab performs real-time analysis of geospatial data to better match its drivers with passengers.

c. Citizens also use geospatial technology in their daily lives. It encompasses the familiar navigation devices to locate facilities and amenities, lifestyle and entertainment options.

3. The rapid advances in geospatial technology will deepen its impact across our economy and society. We need to accelerate awareness and deepen capabilities to harness the value of geospatial technology for Singapore.

4. This is the impetus for the inaugural Singapore Geospatial Week.

5. I am very pleased to note that SLA has arranged a series of exciting events for industry specialists, developers and enthusiasts to share and learn about the various possibilities of geospatial technology. This includes:

a. The ability to join more than 500 professionals and decision makers at the ESRI Singapore User Conference – the largest event showcasing geospatial achievements across a wide range of industries.

b. You can also attend the first Regional Geospatial Youth Forum to hear what young professionals and students have to offer through their works.

c. Or you can participate in the various interactive workshops such as “Create Your Own Maps”, “Creating and Validating Crowdsourced Data” and “OneMap Community” to learn new things.

6. So I am sure that you will have a very fruitful week ahead.

Celebrating the First Anniversary of GeoWorks

7. Today, we also mark the first-year anniversary of GeoWorks.

8. GeoWorks was established by SLA in 2018. As South East Asia’s first geospatial industry centre, GeoWorks brings public agencies and private companies together to promote business growth, drive innovation and foster a well-connected geospatial community. 

9. To date, 21 companies (or “GeoPartners” as we like to refer to them) and 27 start-ups (or “GeoTechs”) are part of the GeoWorks community. Together, GeoWorks has organised more than 280 events over the past year, ranging from business seminars, workshops to industry events.

10. GeoWorks has catalysed several co-creation and collaboration projects.

a. Two of our GeoTechs, AirMap and Garuda, are co-developing a proof-of-concept for Singapore’s first connected urban airspace management system to enable a single framework for managing, authorising and tracking large numbers of unmanned aircraft.

b. Grab, one of our GeoPartners, will also be organising a mapathon to engage citizens in mapping wheelchair-accessible routes to enhance mobility and accessibility for the physically-challenged.

11. On this note, I am pleased to share with you two new initiatives by SLA.

a. OneMap was launched by SLA in 2010 as an integrated map system for public agencies to deliver geospatial services and information. 

b. SLA has partnered FourSquare to enhance OneMap with geospatial data from the private sector. Through this partnership, users will be able to find food and beverage stores, supermarkets and other lifestyle locations, in addition to the existing childcare centres, schools, and government buildings. 

c. SLA is also upgrading OneMap from 2D to 3D. With this upgrade, users will be able to navigate themselves in a 3D representation of the real world, i.e. around landmarks, walkways and even void deck spaces. OneMap3D will first be launched to developers by the end of 2020, and to the public on PC browsers and mobile devices subsequently.

12. I should also say that GeoWorks lends itself to the initiative that we have called SG Together, because SG Together is really a new form of governance – of people working together with government, and vice versa – to collaborate and create new things. Listening to the list of things that you have done, I would say that GeoWorks, in terms of what it does, lends itself very well to SG Together. Because we can then tap on what the Government can bring, as well as the ideas, energy and creativity of the private sector.

Conclusion

13. So with that, let me just end by saying that geospatial information and technology is critical to Singapore’s economic and social development, as we continue our Smart Nation journey.

14. Through strong partnerships and collaborations, I am confident that SLA and GeoWorks will continue to take our geospatial community to greater heights. 

15. I wish you all the very best, and have a great GeoWorks gathering!

16. Thank you.