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It's a long weekend in Singapore. The president gave his people an extra day off yesterday to help them mark the island state's 50th anniversary. There's been much to celebrate during a half century of spectacular economic growth, although there are mutterings now that with labour productivity falling and traditional industries losing their lustre, the years ahead could be harder.
But this is not the time for gloom. It's party weekend. Spectacular events are planned throughout the city, and as Sharanjit Leyl's been finding out, big business isn't missing out.
Everywhere you look, the city seems to have gone jubilee mad. There are posters, banners, bus ads and even post boxes declaring the fact: the nation is having a nostalgic turn, looking back at all it's achieved in one generation. It's celebrating its transition from third world to first, through films, exhibitions and even musicals.
It's a country famous for its acronyms - its ruling party is the PAP, its train line is the MRT, and even the National Day Parade, which is more of a big performance than a parade, is the NDP. So the Golden Jubilee is now known by the initials SG50.
The government and many Singaporeans see it as a chance to bask in the nation's success - and why not? It's one of the extraordinary economic success stories of the late 20th century - a small island transformed into one of the wealthiest nations per capita in the world with no natural resources. | 
发表于 2016-8-18 21:44:46