CULTURE

Radio and TV Singapura will continue to inculcate national attitudes and political understanding and to inform, educate and entertain the public. With independence we have the new task of informing the world especially the peoples of Afro-Asia of our personality, our situation and of our views on issues of an international nature like the unilateral declaration of illegitimate and undemocratic independence by Rhodesia.

The TV studios in the new building at Caldecott Hill now under construction are expected to be ready for use by the middle of 1966, when it will be possible to introduce more varied local productions and generally to diversify and improve existing services.

Commercial Radio and Television will help to meet the increasing cost of expansion.

Growing literacy in the State has been reflected by the popularity and growth of the National Library, whose membership now exceeds 100,000, seventy-five per cent of whom are children under the age of 15. The Library will continue to provide essential Library and information services to both adults and children in the National Language, Chinese, Tamil and English. The mobile book-service started last year, will be extended to cover more Community Centres, Housing and Development Board Estates and the rural areas throughout the island.

To match the demand for knowledge, the Library plans to extend its reading hours and to offer its services to Government Departments, commerce and industries.

Publications, posters, field talks, cinema shows and exhibitions keep the people informed of events concerning them and their country's future. The weekly almanac "The Mirror" now published in four languages has a circulation of 50,000. An active and intelligent awareness of current affairs, is part and parcel of the democratic process.