In promoting the Republic as a tourist destination, whether to the Chinese market or any other market, it is important to keep in mind that Singapore is a developed country. This being so, it should not be seen as promoting dishes which involve inherent cruelty to animals in their production.

Shark-conservation campaigns held in Singapore and internationally have highlighted the dwindling shark populations and the cruel practices involved in the sharks'-fin trade, such as cutting off the fins of sharks and throwing them back into the sea to suffer a lingering death.

Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways International stopped serving sharks' fin on their flights in 2001.

Foie gras is a food that is often promoted by top-class restau-rants, but the animals involved in its production, such as geese and ducks, suffer immense cruelty.

A report by the World Society for the Protection of Animals in its Animals International June 2000 edition describes the process.

'The birds are commonly fed using a pneumatic pump forced down the throat, which injects up to half a kilo of maize and fat in a couple of seconds. This is repeated two or three times per day for up to three weeks, so that by the time it is slaughtered, a bird's liver will have swelled to between six and 10 times its natural size.

'Many ducks and geese die prematurely from cardiac and renal failure, and liver haemorrhage.'

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals hopes that, in light of the above, that dishes like sharks' fin with foie gras will not be used in the promotion of Singapore as a culinary delight par excellence to attract tourists.

DEIRDRE MOSS
Executive Officer
Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals