Challenges+Singapore+faces+in+preserving+our+heritage

Singapore faces mainly three problems to preserve our heritage and they are mainly: 1. Economic Challenges 2. Limited land area 3. People's reactions

__**Challenges 1 and 2**__
Land constraint may limit Singapore's choices, as to whether to use that space for preserving our heritage or to use for economic development. This proves a constant challenge for the preservation of Singapore's heritage.

Singapore has a very limited land area of 714 square kilometres and a population 5.2 million. There is a dilemma on whether to use Singapore's resources to expand our economy, or to invest in the preservation of our heritage. The limited space to be used to preserve monuments may be better put to use if used for other purposes such as residential purposes to accommodate the increasing population.The limited space creates a pressing problem to utilize the land, thus Singapore must be careful to weigh the benefits and cons of proceeding with either development.There are costs in choosing to preserve our heritage instead of setting the land aside for economic growth.

Also, the costs to preserve Singapore's heritage are not neglectable. There is a pressing need for Singapore to continuously develop economically, so as to be able to compete on a global level by staying on par with or surpassing that of other countries. With the land constraint, it might be more beneficial to Singapore to sacrifice the preservation of heritage to ensure steady economic development. For example, it was originally planned that the historically significant Bukit Brown cemetery had to be sacrificed to make way for a road, a MRT station and a housing development project. Fortunately, recent reports showed that the government will be planning to built a bridge over it, so that the wildlife, cemeteries and heritage can be preserved. Development is important, but if significant heritage were to be sacrificed for development, then it might be equivalent to Singapore losing a part of its history. However, there cannot be no development as a First World country. Prioritization must take place: whether to preserve our important heritage, or to set that space aside for economic development. We must not demolish our heritage and defining personality of Singapore in order to nourish economic development as a rapidly-growing country.

**__Challenge 3__**
Often, when a place or building has significant meaning to the people, the demolishment or preservation of it will bring mixed reactions to it. For example, when the government decided to built a new road across Bukit Brown cemetery, there were mixed views and reactions to it. While many felt that this would destroy and affect Singapore's heritage, others were glad as the new road meant more convenient travelling and faster traffic. Those who oppose to it might cause problems to the government, who have to make changes and find out new ways for it to be a win- win situation where everyone would stand to gain. This often results in compensation where the government would have to pay sums of money to those affected.