You know you are witnessing the lead-up to the country’s National Day when the island starts

turning a
particular shade of red and white; In our homes where we hang the flag up high, flags fluttering from
buildings, houses and even cars. The Singapore story is well known—how it achieved independence in 1965
amid severe doubt it could survive at all with its tiny size and severe lack of natural resources.

Yet the island succeeded against the odds, deftly navigating its way through stormy waters of domestic
turmoil, regional strife and international politics. It made use of every single advantage it had, emerging on
the world stage as a major commercial hub, financial centre—in short, the little country that could.

The same could be said of Robinsons when it first started in as a family warehouse at Commercial
Square(present day Raffles Place). Even in the face of adversity, Robinsons continued to grow from
strength to strength – weathering the Great Depression, opening as usual after bombs blew out the Raffles
Place store front in World War 2.

The very same pioneering spirit found in Singapore’s beginnings has kept Robinsons at the forefront of Asian
retail. This year, Robinsons is honoured to take part in NDP2019. Keep your eyes peeled for Robinsons’s
Bicentennial segment as our float takes you all the way back to our humble
beginning; to where it all first started in 1858.

Our staff are dressed in culturally inspired costumes to give a depiction of

the how times were back in the past. The rickshaws, glitzy shops with bright
neon light, all these are reminiscence of 1980s.The float combines all
elements to celebrate Robinsons’s humble roots and diversity amidst the
backdrop of our founding nation.

Participating in National Day is an experience that every participant will remember for life.

As early as May each year, participants go for rehearsals twice a week and
the frequency and duration of rehearsals only increases as the NDP
approaches.
Juggling work and family commitments is tough enough in any experience,
the addition of an NDP commitment, which is a long-term one, would require
certain sacrifices. The support of family, friends and colleagues has helped
our staff to allay their concerns.

For a performance that took up only 5 minutes of the entire show, our
participants had to be on standby for more than six hours at the holding
site to get their hair and make-up done for the rehearsals. They had to
stand in the heat, covered head-to-toe in the stifling costumes waiting
patiently for their turn to burst onto the scene.

Combined with the body heat of 800 others in the contingent, it was an arduous challenge that they have
undertaken. That sense of accomplishment is unsurpassed to this day and serves as a reminder that good
things come to those who keep calm and carry on.

With changing trends and inter-generational differences in the workplace, this

Bicentennial segment has also forged new ties among the millennials and baby
boomers. The Bicentennial segment would not have been possible without the
hard work of our fellow colleagues.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude and share our appreciation with our colleagues for the
sacrifices they have made .It is heartening to see our colleagues being very enthusiastic and ready to put
on a good show for the country

Respect | Integrity | Collaboration | Excellence