During the late 1960s, the Commonwealth Foundation in London initiated and funded the establishment of Professional Centres in various Commonwealth countries to provide an opportunity for regular and more frequent interactions and cooperation among members of different professionals in the countries in multiple projects of national importance.
For more than ten years in the 1970s and early 1980s, I served as a Board Member, Deputy Chairman, Chairman and Past Chairman of the Singapore Professional Centre (SPC). The Centre consisted of 25 professional associations such as Architects, Chemists, Town Planners, Dental Surgeons, Doctors, Engineers, Financial Managers, Lawyers, Nursing Staff, Pharmacists, Quantity Surveyors, and Social Workers.
When I served as Chairman of the SPC, I represented Singapore. I gave a two-hour-long talk to participants of a Meeting of Professional Centres organised by the Commonwealth Foundation at a hotel next to the University at Nairobi, Kenya. I took the opportunity to visit various safari parks, nature reserves, botanic garden, interesting and scenic sites. It was very kind of the President of the Kenyan Automobil Association to arrange the tour and provided the land rover and driver for the entire trip. It was indeed the most memorable experience for me.
The most spectacular place in the travel itinerary was Lake Nakuru, located in the middle of Kenya. It is the location for one of the world’s most extravagant (and pink) phenomena. The lake contains a massive amount of algae and crabs. These attract enormous numbers of Flamingos – so many that you can’t even tell whether there’s land or water under them. It’s all pink!
The lake is shallow, and the number of visiting flamingos depends on the food and water it currently contains. Not only flamingos visit this lake, but also other birds, baboons, warthogs and other big mammals. However, the massive amount of pink flamingos remains the main attraction for visitors. During my visit, two distinct populations of Flamingos, pink and white. They did not intermingle but stayed with their kind in tightly packed flocks on the lake.
Please enjoy views of the birds at Lake Nakuru.
Tan It Koon
Before retirement, Dr Tan It Koon was, among many appointments, Head of Clinical Biochemistry at SGH’s Dept of Pathology. He was the Deputy Chairman of the National Theatre Trust and Chairman for Grants and Scholarships of the Spore Cultural Foundation. He received the National Day Awards, PBM, and PPA, for his contribution to cultural and community development and excellence in Public Administration.
