A Barrage just dont hold water.

"To alleviate the risk of flooding in low lying areas of the city, the Marina Barrage has been in operation since 2008. It has served to remove tidal influence at the Stamford Canal outlet. During heavy rain, up to 9 gates and 6 pumps at the barrage will be operated to discharge excess storm-water to the sea. .."

~~ Response by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim in Parliament on Flash Floods. 19 Jul 2010.

I checked in Wiki, the common primary functions of a barrage are:
a) Increase the depth of a river (similar to a weir),
b) Maintain a separation between fresh and salt water,
c) Reduce the risk of tidal flooding up the river.

Secondary functions may include:

e) Tidal power generation,
f) Artificial whitewater leisure centres.

Curiously, I wondered: What is the difference between having the barrage at the mouth of Marina Channel as compared when without it in terms of flood control capability among low lying areas in the city?

Below are the stats for rainfall in Singapore recent years. We have seen heavier rainy days in 2003 and 2006.

Reference:
1. SingStat - Yearbook of Statistics Singapore 2009, Monthly Digest of Statistics Singapore Jul 2010.
2. Diary of a Singaporean Mind.

No one is above the law.

A Few Dictators Among Us.

Foreign Policy magazine recently compiled a list of worst living dictators (at this point of posting) and some of the brief CVs are quite interesting.

At number 14.
TEODORO OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO of Equatorial Guinea: Obiang and his family literally own the economy, having reportedly amassed a fortune exceeding $600 million while the masses are left in desperate poverty. Equatorial Guinea's extraordinary oil wealth puts its GDP per capita on par with many European states -- if only it were evenly shared. Instead, revenues remain a "state secret."

Years in power: 31

At number 17.
HUGO CHÁVEZ of Venezuela: The quack leader of the Bolivarian Revolution, Chávez promotes a doctrine of participatory democracy in which he is the sole participant, having jailed opposition leaders, extended term limits indefinitely, and closed independent media.

Years in power: 11

At number 20.
PAUL KAGAME of Rwanda: A liberator who saved the Tutsis from complete extermination in 1994, Kagame now practices the same ethnic apartheid he sought to end. His Rwandan Patriotic Front dominates all levers of power: the security forces, the civil service, the judiciary, banks, universities, and state-owned corporations. Those who challenge the president are accused of being a hatemonger or divisionist and arrested.

Years in power: 10

Reference: The Worst of the Worst - By George B.N. Ayittey | Foreign Policy