Latest news with #CICT
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Stalin to lead ‘Semmozhi Day' celebrations on Karunanidhi's birth anniversary
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is set to lead a series of commemorative events on June 3, marking the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi. The state government has officially designated the day as 'Semmozhi Day' to honour Karunanidhi's lifelong contributions to the Tamil language and literature. According to an official release, Stalin will begin the day by paying floral tributes to Karunanidhi's statue located at the Omandurar Government Estate campus on Anna Salai. The tribute ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. The main event of the day will be held at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai, where a grand function has been organised by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT). As part of the celebration, Chief Minister Stalin will release a new set of Tamil scholarly books published by the institute. In line with the government's commitment to promoting the Tamil language and academic excellence, Stalin will also distribute certificates to scholars who have completed their doctoral studies in classical Tamil. This is seen as part of a broader push to encourage higher education and research in Tamil linguistics and heritage. Further underscoring the state's focus on preserving Tamil culture and recognising contributions to the language, the Chief Minister will hand over enhanced financial assistance to senior Tamil scholars. This aid is aimed at supporting elderly language experts who have spent their lives promoting and enriching Tamil literature. Additionally, prizes will be awarded to school and college students who emerged victorious in various Tamil-related competitions conducted in connection with 'Semmozhi Day'. These competitions were designed to increase student engagement with the language and to inspire a deeper appreciation for Tamil classical and modern literature. The state government's decision to observe June 3 as 'Semmozhi Day' annually reflects Karunanidhi's enduring legacy as a scholar, writer, and passionate advocate for Tamil. Officials stated that the day would continue to be marked with programs that promote Tamil language, literature, and culture across the state. With these initiatives, the government aims to keep alive the ideals that Karunanidhi stood for and to inspire future generations to take pride in their linguistic heritage.
Business Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
F&B business closures: don't blame high rents.
[SINGAPORE] Singapore prides itself as a food haven. Residents and visitors love wining and dining at the wide range of food and beverage (F&B) outlets here. However, the local F&B scene is reeling from a spate of closures of F&B outlets. Might Singapore's status as a top food destination be undermined by the high failure rate in the F&B sector? Last year, the number of F&B business closures in Singapore hit a 20-year high at 3,047. And average monthly closures in the first quarter this year are above 300. Meanwhile, listed Japan Foods Holding – a leading Japanese restaurant chain in Singapore – posted a larger loss for the financial year ended Mar 31 compared with a year ago. Greedy landlords are perceived as the villains that are driving much-loved cafes, restaurants and bars to cease operations. Media reports highlight cases of landlords hiking rents for F&B outlets of 50 per cent or more when leases expire. My take is that landlords are not entirely to blame for the high rate of F&B business closures. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up Subdued growth in retail rentals One, growth in retail rents has been lacklustre over recent years. Based on data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Realis, the private sector rental index for retail space fell 22.1 per cent in the central region and 24 per cent in the fringe area between pre-Covid pandemic in Q4 2019 and Q1 2025. Certainly, some major retail landlords have been upping rents over time and continue doing so. For Q1, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) had positive rent reversion – which measures the average incoming rents versus the average outgoing rents – of 11.2 per cent for downtown retail spaces and 9.5 per cent for suburban retail spaces. In perspective, if rent increases by 10 per cent when a lease expires after three years, this represents growth at a compound annual growth rate of 3.2 per cent, which may be broadly in line with the inflation rate. Two, rental is not the only large cost component for an F&B business. Other major recurring costs include manpower and supplies. The initial investment in buying equipment and fitting out premises can also be substantial. For a typical F&B outlet here, the amount of revenue eaten up by rent might be in the low double-digits in percentage terms. Leading Singapore suburban mall owner Frasers Centrepoint Trust (FCT) reported retail portfolio average occupancy cost of 16 per cent for the financial year ended Sep 30, 2024, down slightly from that in pre-Covid pandemic in the financial year ended Sep 30, 2019. Occupancy cost refers to the ratio of gross rental including turnover rent paid by a tenant to the tenant's sales turnover excluding goods and services tax. Long-term greedy landlords Three, leading retail landlords including CICT and FCT are likely to be long-term greedy. A long-term focused landlord will prioritise achieving high occupancy levels and having retail tenants that succeed. As at end-March, committed occupancy at CICT's retail properties here, excluding the areas in IMM Building that are undergoing asset enhancement, was 98.8 per cent. And the tenant retention rate for CICT's retail spaces in Singapore, based on net lettable area of renewed versus expiring leases for Q1, was 79.2 per cent. A mall owner will aim to charge an F&B player high but hopefully sustainable rent. After all, the landlord would seek to avoid having high rental arrears from failing tenants or many tenants abruptly shutting operations. Indeed, a mall with many outlets shut is unappealing to shoppers. On the other hand, a mall with all its shops open for operations can draw higher shopper traffic. And tenants will flock to be in malls with high visitorship. Four, some F&B operators are mini-anchors for malls and thus well-placed to secure choice spots on favourable terms. Mall owners who value having the right tenant mix might pursue certain F&B brands or concepts to help position their property and draw visitors. Equally, an owner of a row of shophouses may be keen to lure the right F&B operator who can bring visitor traffic to the said properties. In short, sought-after F&B operators are in a strong bargaining position to secure choice spots. Five, intense competition among F&B players can result in players fighting hard to snare certain spots by offering high rents. For example, many F&B operators may seek to be in the most prime area of a popular mall or to have presence in an established dining enclave that has buzz. Thus, when choice F&B spaces become available, landlords are in the sweet spot of choosing among strong players who dangle juicy rents. Furthermore, new entrants to the local F&B scene, including Chinese brands, may bid aggressively for target spots in the hope of quickly making an impact with patrons who are spoilt for choice. Six, F&B operators that wish to minimise the risk of relocation from specific locations can consider measures such as signing longer leases than, say, a three-year lease or partnering a real estate player in said F&B outlets. A shophouse owner might be keen to take an equity interest in the restaurant or bar that occupies the property. Property giant Far East Organization invests in a varied portfolio of F&B concepts. The sector will always be tough for operators – in particular young, new entrepreneurs. Success is built on getting many things right such as concept, taste, presentation, ambience, logistics, manpower, supply chain, branding, marketing, pricing, location and so forth. Drawing and retaining customers is challenging as patrons have ample choice and are often mindful of getting value for their spending. Also, F&B businesses need to constantly adapt to changing tastes and business conditions. Still, the high spending power of residents and visitors here will draw new players to enter a ferociously competitive F&B scene. A high rate of F&B business closures may be inevitable – just don't blame rent for the sector's churn. Ultimately, as buzzing F&B outlets are a powerful driver of successful physical retail spaces, many landlords are as vested as F&B players in building a vibrant wining and dining scene in Singapore.
Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
S-Reits with Singapore office assets post resilient Q1 2025 amid positive rent reversions and high occupancy
[SINGAPORE] Singapore-listed office real estate investment trusts (S-Reits) reported a broadly resilient performance in the first quarter of 2025, underpinned by positive rental reversions, stable occupancy, and continued demand for prime office space despite macroeconomic uncertainties. The six S-Reits with Singapore office exposure – CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT), Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust (Mpact), Suntec Reit , Keppel Reit , OUE Reit , and Lendlease Global Commercial Reit (LReit) — recorded positive rental reversions for their local office assets, with some achieving double-digit growth. Keppel Reit, a pure-play office S-Reit with mostly Singapore assets, reported positive rental reversion of 10.6 per cent across its portfolio, supported by new leasing demand and expansions from financial and technology tenants. Attributable net property income from its Singapore portfolio rose 3.3 per cent on year to S$66.4 million in Q1 2025. LReit also reported a 13 per cent rental uplift for its Jem office lease, while Suntec Reit reported a positive rental reversion of 8 per cent for its Singapore office portfolio in Q1 2025, its 27th quarter of positive rent reversion. CICT and OUE Reit posted rental reversions of 5.4 per cent and 9.9 per cent, respectively, for their office portfolios, while Mpact achieved 2.2 per cent at Mapletree Business City (MBC) and 7.4 per cent at its other Singapore office assets. Occupancy across S-Reits Singapore office portfolios remained healthy. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Suntec Reit's office portfolio maintained high committed occupancy of 98.7 per cent, while Keppel Reit, OUE Reit and CICT similarly reported committed occupancies ranging between 96.3 and 97.9 per cent for their Singapore office assets. Mpact's Singapore assets had occupancy ranging from 91.2 per cent at MBC to 99.5 per cent elsewhere, while LReit's Jem office building was fully occupied. Leasing activity was driven by tenants in the financial services, technology and professional services sectors. Looking ahead, Reit managers observed that tenants are likely to be more cautious in terms of demand for office space given potential headwinds from geopolitical tensions, slower global growth, and cautious business sentiment. However, limited supply of new office space expected in Singapore's core CBD area from 2025 to 2027 is expected to support rental stability. Managers also noted that the flight-to-quality trend remains prominent in Singapore's office sector, with newer office developments in prime locations better positioned to weather the uncertainty. The six S-Reits trade at an average price-to-book ratio of around 0.64, slightly below the sector average of 0.73, according to Bloomberg data. Reit managers expect performance of their Singapore office assets to remain stable. Suntec Reit noted that rent reversion for its Singapore office assets is expected to be modest, in the range of positive 1 to 5 per cent. Property consultancy JLL said in its Q1 office market report that Singapore's office rents registered a fourth consecutive quarter of marginal growth of less than 1 per cent quarter on quarter. It noted that office demand should stay positive, driven by supportive government policies and businesses seeking to capitalise on South-east Asia's growing need for wealth management, fintech and artificial intelligence solutions. JLL added that the positive demand coupled with limited new supply are expected to keep office rents and capital values on a stable to modest growth path over the next 12 months, barring any unforeseen economic shocks. The writer is a research analyst at SGX. For more research and information on Singapore's Reit sector, visit for the S-Reits & Property Trusts Chartbook.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Thirukkural translated into Kurukh, Gondi, Malto, and Brahui: A literary Milestone for Dravidian languages
The timeless wisdom of Thirukkural is set to break new ground. The Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) has commissioned its translation into four medium and minor Dravidian languages — Kurukh, Gondi, Malto and Brahui. Dravidianism Revival Centre, a not-for-profit organisation working on promoting Thirrukural in Dravidian languages, is involved in talent identification, resource sharing and guidance. The translation of Thirukkural marks a literary milestone in these languages, rich in oral traditions but nurturing their written forms. Former IRS officer and a native Kurukh speaker Mahesh S. Meenz is translating the Tamil treatise to Kurukh. In Gondi, Varaprasad Sidam, who has been promoting the language by putting out articles in the wikimedia incubator, is up for the task. For Malto – spoken by less than two lakh people – Rev. George Edward is involved in the Thirukkural translation. For the language of Brahui of Balochistan, Professor Muhammad Afzal Brohi has translated it. He is Professor at the Department of Architecture, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan. He was formerly Director, UNESCO Mohenjo-daro Conservation Cell The Dravidian family Scientific studies, anthropologists and linguists confirm that these languages are part of the Dravidian family. Kurukh is a northern Dravidian language spoken by the Kurukh / Oraon tribe in eastern India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Gondi belongs to the south-central branch of the Dravidian family and is spoken by Gond communities across central India. Malto, also part of the Northern Dravidian group, is spoken by the Malto (Paharia) tribes in the Rajmahal Hills and surrounding regions. Brahui, a linguistic outlier of the Dravidian family, is spoken in Pakistan's Balochistan province, as well as parts of Afghanistan and Iran—far from the traditional Dravidian heartland, yet situated at the very heart of the pre-Harappan Mehrgarh civilization (7000–5500 BC). According to Finnish Indologist Asko Parpola, this culture later migrated into the Indus Valley, eventually giving rise to the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilization. All these languages lack a substantial body of written literature but the oral literature is rich with songs and poetry. 'In ancient Tamil Sangam literature, the male hero (talaivan) often shares a deep emotional bond with a male confidant, referred to as pāṅkaṉ. A similar tradition exists in Kurukh culture, where a young boy, with parental consent, may form a fraternal relationship—known as iar or sangi—with another boy from another clan, said Dr J Ravikumar Stephen G, founder, Dravidianism Revival Centre. Indian anthropologist Lalita Prasad Vidyarthi extensively studied the Malto tribe's belief systems and classified their language under the Dravidian family. In his comparative studies, Russian linguist Mikhail S Andronov placed the language among Northern Dravidian languages. There is evidence of a shared origin between Gondi and Tamil, as well as other Dravidian languages, due to their notable grammatical and syntactic similarities. 'Gondi and Tamil share thousands of cognates (words with a common ancestor) and grammatical features, making them both members of the South and Central Dravidian branch of the Dravidian language family,' said Dr. Annie Tisha Jerald, Junior Research Fellow, International School of Dravidian Linguistics, Thiruvananthapuram. Brahui, geographically isolated from the rest of the Dravidian family, shows strong connections to the Dravidian land. 'The 37 known Brahui tribes constituted a distinct polity, reminiscent of the 'Kurunila mannarkal' – the minor kings of ancient Tamilakam. These tribe rulers formed a confederation, just like the 'Nadu Vali', federation of Tamil Chera kings in early South Indian history,' Ravikumar Stephen said. A literary milestone The governments of West Bengal and Jharkhand have officially recognized Kurukh as one of the state languages. The development of exclusive scripts for Kurukh in the 1990s advanced the teaching of the language in schools and training centers across Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. Meanwhile, linguists in Telangana are advocating for the inclusion of Gondi in the Eighth Schedule. Malto lacks official recognition and a standardized script, which has hindered its development in formal education systems. Unlike the 19th-century German missionaries, the present-day Christian missionaries from Tamil Nadu have established Hindi-medium schools, which, according to Bishop Dr. Ravikumar, has significantly contributed to the decline of the Malto language. Many Brahui speakers are bilingual, often using Balochi or Urdu in daily life, which has led to concerns about language preservation, despite the fact that the University of Balochistan offers degree programs in Brahui from the bachelor's to the doctoral level. At such a time, translation of classical texts like the Thirukkural serves both political and literary purposes. 'The official recognition granted by the Jharkhand government to the Tolong Siki script—developed by Dr Narayan Oraon—has elevated the status of the Kurukh language in the region. That's why the Thirukkural translation project will carve out a meaningful space for Kurukh,' said Mahesh Meenz, a former IRS officer and the translator. 'The Thirukkural's portrayal of lifestyle themes—especially those related to love and agriculture—resonates deeply with both Tamil and Kurukh-speaking communities,' Mahesh added. Gondi, the language learned even by the IAS officers to communicate with people of Adilabad in Telangana, has ample oral literature in the form of riddles, folk songs and puzzles. 'Only two out of 100 speakers of Gondi can read and write the language, in Gunjala Script. Once translated, Thirukkural will serve as a philosophical guide to us,' said Varaprasad, who has completed seventeen chapters of Gondi translation using Telugu and Gunjala script, which is the oldest script of Gondi language. The other script, Masaram, is widely popular in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The translators share their connect with Thirukkural. 'While translating the Thirukkural, I felt as though it was written on the mountains and waters of Brahui. I could imagine Thiruvalluvar speaking with the king and the people here,' said Professor Muhammad Afzal Brohi. Translation enriches a language and the absence of written literature often leads to the extinction of a language. 'Kambar's Ramayanam, a transcreation of the epic in Tamil, surpassed many original and translated versions and set a high standard for Tamil narrative poetry. Other works such as The Bible, the Mahabharata, and later, John Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress', transcreated to Tamil in pure poetic format as 'Ratchanya Yathrigam' are some phenomenal works,' said Ravikumar. The challenges The translation project has encountered several challenges, most important among them being the difficulty in finding qualified translators and reviewers of the translated work. 'It took me more than three years to find translators for Malto. Through outreach via social media and word of mouth, I could achieve the feat,' said Ravikumar. Secondly, content translation was a tough task, as with the exception of the Malto translator, all of the others did not know Tamil. 'I provided them with existing translations of the Thirukkural in various languages such as English, Hindi, Bengali and Telugu,' Ravikumar said. As these languages are not exposed to scientific and philosophical genre, many words are just absent. Translators are coining new words with the help of century-old dictionaries created by GermanLutheran missionaries likeRev. Ferdinand Hahn. The translation project calls for an elaborate fact checking and review procedure. 'Thirukkural itself is imbued with secular and universal values. Unfortunately, some translators tend to introduce their own religious or cultural biases. For example, in the third couplet which describes the divine as 'the one who walked on a flower'—many translators inserted the term Kamal (lotus), which subtly implies a specific religious symbolism,' Ravikumar added. Political sensitivities can also pose challenges to translation initiatives. For instance, in the case of the Brahui translation—where the translator is a Pakistani national—clearances were required at the ministerial level. 'The Brahui translator submitted the application to the Union Minister for Education just hours before the tragic Pahalgam incident, and a response is still awaited,' said Dr Ravikumar Stephen. Despite such complexities, the CICT seems committed to making Thirukkural accessible in every Dravidian language. Director of CICT, Professor R Chandrashekharan has already published Thirukkural translations in medium and minor South Dravidian languages such as Badaga, Kodava, Koraga, and Tulu
BreakingNews.ie
23-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Over €8.7m compensation paid to victims of crime in 2023
Compensation totalling over €8.7 million was paid out to victims of violent crime in 2023 with one individual receiving an award of over €2.7 million. Another victim received total compensation of over €1.5 million on appeal after initially being awarded just €5,000. Advertisement The latest annual report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal reveals that combined awards made to individuals who suffered personal injuries under a general scheme for victims of violent crime and a special one for prison officers increased by 8 per cent in 2023 to €8,717,040. A total of 345 individual awards were made by the CICT in 2023 – an annual increase of 22 per cent. The compensation scheme, which was established in 1974, is open to all applicants who have been victims of a violent crime. A total of 270 applicants under the general scheme accepted and received awards totalling over €7.5 million in 2023 – representing an average payout of €27,838. Advertisement However, the awards ranged from less than €100 to over €2.7 million. The highest compensation payout was made to a woman who suffered 'debilitating and enduring injuries' following an intentional assault to cause her serious harm. The CICT noted the victim, who had no relevant medical or psychiatric history before the assault, sustained serious brain injuries and now required full-time care as she could no longer have an independent lifestyle or return to work. It awarded her victim a total of €2,762,453 in compensation including almost €2 million for the cost of future care and €221,000 for the cost of future childcare. Advertisement In another case, a young man who sustained an acquired brain injury after hitting his head on the ground after he was punched in an unprovoked attack by an unknown individual was originally awarded €5,000 compensation. On appeal, however, the sum was increased to €1,539,234 after the victim was made a ward of court and the CICT heard evidence that he would require life-long support. The tribunal also awarded €95,000 to a close friend of the victim who has supported him for future care costs as well as €44,417 for out-of-pocket expenses in relation to the case. The CICT has also operated a separate compensation scheme since 1990 for prison officers who suffer personal injuries during the course of their work. Advertisement Its latest annual report shows 75 prison officers received compensation totalling over €1.2 million in 2023 – representing an average award of €16,011. The report reveals the tribunal received a total of 252 new applications in 2023 – an annual decrease of 7 per cent. They consisted of 163 for the general scheme and 89 under the prison officer scheme. The tribunal's chairperson, Conor Heaney, said the number of applications received in 2023 is approaching levels seen prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Advertisement However, Mr Heaney said the tribunal was well placed to deal with the increase in volume. He said there had also been significant progress in reducing significantly the number of 'abeyance' files by closing off cases where applications had been made more than five years previously and where no awards could be made due to a lack of supporting information. Overall, tribunal members, which consist of qualified barristers and solicitors appointed by the Minister for Justice, processed a total of 805 cases in 2023. The scheme allows victims and their dependents in fatal cases to apply for reimbursement of expenses and losses they may have suffered as a direct result of a violent crime. The tribunal also considers claims for compensation from people injured in coming to the aid of gardaí or trying to prevent crime in a public place as well as anyone injured in preventing the escape of a criminal from custody or attempting to save a human life. It is also a requirement that any criminal incident which resulted in an injury for which compensation is sought must be reported to gardaí without delay, or Fiosrú (previously known as the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission) in cases where the alleged offender is a garda. An application for compensation must be submitted to the CICT within three months of the offence, although a longer deadline of up to two years is accepted in exceptional circumstances. The scheme does not consider applications from people injured as a result of road traffic offences except in cases where there has been a deliberate attempt to run down a victim. Since 1986, compensation is only paid out in relation to special damages – losses which are quantifiable such as wages – as the CICT does not consider any award for general damages such as pain and suffering. Further changes may arise from a report due this year from the Law Reform Commission which is reviewing how victims of crime should be compensated. Awards by the tribunal are limited to the amount in annual funding voted to it by the Dáil each year. In April, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on justice, Matt Carthy called on the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan to bring forward legislation to put the CICT on a statutory basis as 'a matter of urgency.' It followed briefing documents which showed funding for the scheme was due to be exhausted by the end of March. Mr Carthy said a lack of funding for the scheme would be 'deeply concerning' as it was vital for supporting victims of crime including those who had experienced life-changing injuries. Last year, a Circuit Court judge, Judge Keenan Johnson, called for National Lottery funding and court fines to be used to provide improved compensation payments for victims of violent crime. Judge Johnson claimed the current system – a reference to the CICT – was 'inadequate' for recognising the impact of violent assaults on injured parties. He observed that a scheme which does not allow payments to compensate for any pain or suffering felt by victims was 'grossly unjust.' The judge had previously observed that Ireland had 'one of the meanest systems in Europe' for compensating victims of crime. He also contrasted how the State 'has no difficulty in spending a fortune on incarcerating people' with the inadequate levels of compensation for victims of violent crime.
