The sky looked threatening and it did rain in the morning but by 5 pm, the skies cleared and al 7 pm, NUS Economics Alumni was off to its 2nd trishaw fund-raising event on Friday, 1 Novernber 2013. The guest of honour, Assoc Prof Zeng Jinli, represented the Head of Department in riding off in the first trishaw, accompanied by the president of NUS Economics Alumni, Mr Daniel Lo. Other economics staff were there lo support: Dr Connie Chung, Dr Lee Soo Ann and Mr Chan Kok Hoe who took the photos while running alongside the trishaws! Sponsors paid for the 30 trishaws rented for the event, each trishaw raising $500 for the NUS Economics Alumni Bursary Fund, netting over $15,000 in all. Seven undergraduates turned up, including some who were bursary recipients. This Fund awards 3 bursaries worth $2000 each for three years of undergraduate study, based largely on need but also on merit since recipients must have a 3.2 CAP average.
As there were 2 passengers in each trishaw, there were altogether over 60 persons present and they adjourned to a buffet dinner at a nearby restaurant to end a very wholesome evening. Thanks to the department for paying for the rental of the trishaws and their professional riders, who being in their fifties and sixties represented the pioneer generation who used trishaws as a mode of transport in the central business district in days gone by. The department also paid for the buffet dinner. Today these trishaws are largely patronized by tourists, but there were many Singaporeans in the event who had never sat in a trishaw before! Do go to the trishaw centre at the junction of Waterloo Street and Bencoolen Link to support these trishaw riders who depend on your support for their livelihood!
First published in ECONews in April 2014