Corals, seagrasses and mangroves of Pulau Hantu
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Season was later than usual, likely because corals were recovering
Audrey Tan Straits Times 11 Aug 17;
Warming seas caused Singapore's corals to suffer from the longest-ever bleaching incident on record last year, and observations show that the incident has far-reaching effects.
The reproductive capacity of Singapore's corals was reduced earlier this year, even though they have started to recover from bleaching since late October 2016.
Scientists have observed that some species of hard coral, including Merulina ampliata, Platygyra sinensis and Platygyra pini, spawned outside of the usual reproductive season.
In Singapore, the main mass coral spawning event happens just once a year, usually from the third night after the full moon in late March or April. This year, spawning happened in end-April.
"But after the full moon in May, we observed some corals, which missed the season in April, spawning," said Dr Karenne Tun, director of the coastal and marine division at the National Parks Board's (NParks) National Biodiversity Centre.
Spawning is an energetically expensive process for the corals. During the process, the corals release millions of egg and sperm bundles into the water column at the same time in a spectacular underwater display.
The eggs and sperms then join to form free-floating larvae, which are carried by the water until they find a suitable home - usually a hard surface they can latch on to. But less than 1 per cent of this free-floating larvae eventually settle down and get recruited onto a reef. Many end up being eaten by predators, or fail to settle on a suitable substrate.
Researchers who observed the event in April this year had found it to be more subdued compared with previous years. This is likely because Singapore's corals, which were then still recovering from the bleaching incident last year, had more critical resource concerns.
The bleaching, which stretched from June to December, was the longest coral-bleaching incident to hit local reefs.
Corals depend on symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae, for energy. Bleaching occurs when abnormally high sea temperatures cause corals to expel the algae, turning the corals white and depriving them of a key source of nutrition.
Following the April event, NParks researchers monitoring the reefs found that egg-sperm bundles were still present in some coral colonies. This discovery led them to hypothesise that these corals may spawn later. They were proven right.
"The fact that there was spawning, even though it was delayed, is an encouraging sign," said Dr Tun.
"But if warming seas continue to affect Singapore, resulting in reduced number of individuals or species spawning, then the number of successful recruits could fall and reduce the rate of reef expansion."
Healthy coral reefs are important as they support a diverse ecosystem and function as a nursery for many species of reef organisms.
Assistant Professor Huang Danwei, from the National University of Singapore's Department of Biological Sciences, said a protracted spawning season suggests that corals are adapting to rising sea temperatures and more stressful conditions in general.
"Spreading their egg release over a longer time period is akin to not putting all their eggs in one basket - in this case, a time basket.
"This could increase the likelihood that at least some eggs will survive during stressful conditions," said Prof Huang, a marine biologist.
But he said that while this strategy increased the average survival rate of eggs, it also lowered the probability that they could be fertilised and coral larvae develop to adulthood.
Said Prof Huang: "Delayed spawning year after year could thus be detrimental to the recruitment of corals onto the reef as successful development of corals relies on the synchronised coral spawning that has been calibrated over millions of years of reef evolution."
Singaporean helps prevent rabies infections in Nepal with project to sterilise, vaccinate dogs
Jose Hong Straits Times 10 Aug 17;
When Ms Debby Ng, 35, went searching for red pandas in the Everest National Park in Nepal in 2013, she asked villagers if they had seen the rare furry creatures.
Yes, they replied, dogs were carrying their carcasses around in their mouths. That is, when they were not killing other rare wild animals.
The story was the same in the seven other villages she visited that year. Ms Ng, a Singaporean freelance photojournalist, said most villagers cared for the dogs, but could not control their ballooning populations and so resorted to the only available method: rat poison.
But this makes dogs die slowly and painfully. And when scavengers like vultures feed on the dogs' bodies, they get poisoned in turn.
She found out that in addition to killing wildlife, the dogs attacked livestock and spread diseases like distemper virus, which affects only animals, and rabies, which affects both animals and humans.
According to a study published last year, up to 100 people die from rabies annually in Nepal. Singapore, in contrast, has been rabies- free since 1953.
Ms Ng's guide told her that free-ranging dogs were also a problem in central Nepal, around the Annapurna Conservation Area.
In 2014, Ms Ng decided to start the Himalayan Mutt Project with her guide, the first and only movement to neuter and vaccinate dogs in the Annapurna Conservation Area.
She and her team work together with Nepalese veterinarians to go around villages and convince villagers to round up free-roaming dogs and bring them in, along with their own, to be sterilised and vaccinated against rabies.
Their journeys last 16 days, and they hope to go yearly, though they could not go in 2015 because of the earthquake that struck the country.
Initially, they faced resistance from villagers, who feared their dogs would not survive sterilisation.
Ms Ng said: "You and I would not think twice about sending our pets to the vet, but these people had never before seen surgery being performed on an animal and its internal organs being removed."
But they soon learnt it was very safe, and Ms Ng was soon able to continue the project. To date, the Himalayan Mutt Project has neutered and vaccinated 447 dogs, and vaccinated 100 more. That may not seem like a lot, till you consider that a female dog can give birth to four to six puppies, twice per year. Ms Ng said with about half of the dogs neutered being female, the project has prevented up to 5,500 puppies being born since 2014.
Furthermore, the number of culled dogs has dropped dramatically. In the first batch of villages visited in 2014, only 10 dogs were culled in the same year and none was culled last year.
Perhaps most importantly, her project has helped protect local communities and wildlife against rabies. Ms Ng said that sterilising and vaccinating dogs costs only about US$15 (S$20). In Singapore, the human rabies vaccinations cost around $450, while treating a human infected with rabies can start from around $3,000, a sum unaffordable to most villagers in one of the world's poorest countries.
But while the sterilisation process itself is not costly, reaching hundreds of dogs in mountainous villages is.
Ms Ng said each trip costs US$20,000, with 35 per cent of the cost going to transportation and another about 40 per cent divided equally between the medicine and surgery, and staff salary. The rest goes to food and accommodation.
Ms Ng's largest challenge is fund-raising. "Investment in managing wildlife diseases is often left as a response rather than prevention. This is especially problematic when trying to protect species that are already rare," she said.
"We have this perception that conservation is only about saving wildlife, and that is one of the main gaps that the Himalayan Mutt Project is trying to bridge. The wonderful thing about this project is that by taking care of the dogs, we take care of both people and animals."
Next month, she will go to the Himalayas again for another round of the project. And next year, she will conduct research into the diseases spread by dogs.
"This is a data-deficient field," Ms Ng said. "I want to look at the diseases present in Annapurna carried by dogs and how these dogs are moving throughout the landscape. By filling in the gaps about diseases, I hope to predict the kinds of diseases that emerge and help prevent them."
Her goal, she said, is to help all the villages in the Annapurna Conservation Area, which total 57.
That will admittedly take some time, but Ms Ng is nothing if not determined. She founded the Singaporean marine conservation volunteer organisation, Hantu Blog, and volunteered with the National Parks Board and the World Wide Fund for Nature (Malaysia).
She is also pursuing her bachelor's degree in geography and zoology at the University of Tasmania.
One of the organisations funding the Himalayan Mutt Project is the Britain-based Rufford Foundation, which supports early-career scientists in developing countries that are undertaking nature conservation projects.
Its trust director Terry Kenny said he was "delighted to confirm" the charity provided Ms Ng with £5,000 (S$9,000) earlier this year. He said this was because "Debby is promoting safer alternatives to controlling dog populations in collaboration with local communities".
100
Number of people who die from rabies annually in Nepal. Singapore, in contrast, has been rabies-free since 1953.
447
Number of dogs that the Himalayan Mutt Project has neutered and vaccinated to date. Another 100 have been vaccinated.
Pulau Tekukor, the other side of our Marine Park
wild shores of singapore
Forest fires, hots spots and underlying issues
People's Movement to Stop Haze
Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link a double-edged sword for environment, wildlife
mongabay.com
Audrey Tan Straits Times 10 Aug 17;
SINGAPORE - Guided walks on a wildlife bridge that is otherwise off limits to members of the public will not be continued by the National Parks Board (NParks).
A notice on NParks' website showed that the guided walks have been postponed "until further notice", and that the website will be updated if the guided walks resume.
The decision not to continue the walks was made so as to limit human impact on the bridge, which spans the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE). Members of the public are not allowed on the bridge outside of these walks.
Mr Wong Tuan Wah, NParks' group director for conservation, told The Straits Times that the board has detected the use of the eco-link by animals such as the pangolin, slender squirrel, common palm civet and various species of birds and snakes.
"In order not to affect the animals' movement patterns and to allow more animals to adapt to and use the eco-link, subsequent walks have not been scheduled. We are continuing to monitor the animals' movements," he added.
The $16 million Eco-Link@BKE, which connects the Central Catchment and Bukit Timah nature reserves, was opened in 2013.
Human access to the ecological bridge was restricted - to allow vegetation to grow and to let wildlife get used to the bridge without human disturbance - until November 2015, when NParks announced that it would conduct eight guided walks.
The walks, which were capped at 20 per tour, aimed to help people learn about the different kinds of animals that use the link, as well as interesting facts about both nature reserves.
NParks conducted eight such walks on four dates between the end of 2015 and January 2016, and these were attended by about 160 participants.
The Eco-Link@BKE aims to help the shy, elusive denizens of Singapore's forests move between vegetated areas in the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment nature reserves.
The ability to move between one forest area and another is important for animals, especially in Singapore.
This is because the island's nature areas are fragmented by urban development, unlike in countries that have rolling acres of forests. Being able to move from forest to forest will help animals feed and breed without becoming isolated.
However, human encroachment could prevent the shy, elusive animals from using it, which is why people are not allowed to visit the bridge as they would any other park or nature reserve.
However, NParks' Mr Wong said the board has found members of the public trying to visit the eco-link on their own.
"We have issued advisories to remind them not to do so. We would like to urge visitors to play their part in the conservation of our native biodiversity by refraining from entering restricted areas, so as to allow rare native species to establish themselves. There are many designated trails in the nature reserves from which biodiversity can be observed, and we advise visitors to stay on them. This will also prevent visitors from getting lost," he said.
LIM MIN ZHANG, THE STRAITS TIMES The New Paper 10 Aug 17;
For the past four years, teacher Tan Huili's family spent National Day watching the parade at home.
But this year, Ms Tan's young family of four, together with her parents-in-law, woke up as early as 6am to catch the bumboat to Pulau Ubin.
They were among more than 100 families who took part in a walk to celebrate Singapore's birthday.
"Visiting such places gives us a sense of rootedness and identity," said Ms Tan, 35, whose children are aged four and seven.
During the event, organised by the Siglap division of East Coast GRC with the National Parks Board, some 520 Siglap residents, many with children aged 12 or younger, learnt about the early years of Singapore's independence.
Taking part in activities at six stations along a 2.6km round-the-island trail, they found out about the challenges Singapore faced in the past.
For example, at Teck Seng's Place, one of the conserved landmarks on Pulau Ubin, they learnt about the 1961 Bukit Ho Swee fire, a key event that led to the Government's shift to the public housing programme.
They were also treated to traditional food such as gem biscuits, ice lollies and jagung urap, or steamed corn with coconut shavings.
Limousine driver Melvin Koh, 31, who was with his wife and their eight-year-old boy, said: "It was something new for my son, and an interesting and meaningful experience, especially on National Day."
More than 100 young families visit Pulau Ubin to learn about nation building
Lim Min Zhang Straits Times 10 Aug 17;
SINGAPORE - More than 100 young families celebrated National Day at Pulau Ubin on Wednesday morning (Aug 9) with lessons from the early years of Singapore's independence.
Some 520 Siglap residents, many with children aged 12 or younger, took part in activity stations along a round-the-island trail. They learnt about challenges Singapore faced in the past, such as racial riots and the need for water conservation.
For example, at Teck Seng's Place, one of the preserved landmarks on Pulau Ubin, participants were taught about the Bukit Ho Swee fire of 1961, which was a key event that led to the Government's shift to the public housing programme.
They were also treated to traditional food such as gem biscuits, ice lollies, and jagung urap, or steamed corn with coconut shavings, at the station.
Some of the participants had woken up as early as 5am to catch the 10-minute bumboat ride to the island.
The whole trail was 2.6km long and included six stations.
The event was organised by grassroots leaders and volunteers from the Siglap division of East Coast GRC, in collaboration with the National Parks Board.
Chairman of the organising committee and businessman David Tan, 50, one of the more than 200 volunteers involved in running the event, said: "Even though this was hard work, we felt it was worth it to have these activities to gel the older and younger generations together, regardless of age."
Limousine driver Melvin Koh, 31, took part in the trail with his eight-year-old son and 31-year-old wife.
Mr Koh said: "It was something new for my son, and an interesting and meaningful experience, especially on National Day."
Another parent, teacher Tan Huili, 35,went with six other family members- her husband, his brother, her parents-in-law and her two children, aged four and seven.
"It was my children's first time in Ubin. They were disappointed not to see any monkeys and wild boars, but they enjoyed walking on the mud and gravel trails, which was something they never did in mainland Singapore."
Adviser to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations Maliki Osman joined the families in the morning's activities, which ended with an observance ceremony to commemorate 50 years of national service (NS).
Fourteen father-son pairs who had both done NS were given recognition packages for their contributions. The Siglap residents also stood up to give a salute to thank past and present servicemen.
"The whole day's celebration is really about looking back and reflecting, and not just celebration, but also asking ourselves what it means to be a Singaporean," said Dr Maliki, who is also Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs.
"Hopefully, the younger generation will then say, 'I have a role to play in making Singapore succeed' in the many years to come."
Bernama New Straits Times 10 Aug 17;
SHAH ALAM: Two fires which have burned more than 100 hectares of the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in Bestari Jaya and the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve have been brought under control.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohd Sani Harul said the fire in the Raja Musa Forest Reserve was spotted at about 6.30pm last Sunday.
“The fire started on idle land and strong winds drove it to the forest reserve. The blaze on 110 hectares has been put out,” he said in a statement.
The operation to extinguish the fire involved 49 personnel from various security agencies, he said.
The fire at the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve was spotted at 12.40pm on Aug 3 and involved 9.9 hectares.
It was brought under control on the same day, Mohd Sani added.
"However, on Aug 7, thick smoke was detected about 200 metres from the previous spot. The fire has been brought under control and work is ongoing to put it out,” he added.
Bomba battling two large fires in Selangor forest reserves
The Star 10 Aug 17;
SHAH ALAM: Two large fires in the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in Bestari Jaya and the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve near here have been brought under control and efforts are ongoing to extinguish remaining flames.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohd Sani Harul said Wednesday that the fire in the forest reserve was spotted at about 6.30pm last Sunday and involved 120 hectares.
"The fire started on idle land and strong winds drove it to the forest reserve. The blaze on 110 hectares has been put out," he said in a statement.
The operation to extinguish the fire involved 49 personnel from various security agencies, he said.
He also said that the fire at the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve was spotted at 12.40pm on Aug 3 and involved 9.9 hectares.
It was brought under control on the same day, he added.
"However, on Aug 7, thick smoke was detected about 200m from the previous spot and involved 28.17 hectares. The fire has been brought under control and work is ongoing to put it out," he said. – Bernama
Today Online 9 Aug 17;
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s sports minister has urged Indonesia to ensure that haze from raging forest fires does not affect the South-east Asian Games (SEA Games) this month, a report said Wednesday (Aug 9).
Malaysia will host the major multi-sport event from August 19-30, with thousands of athletes from across the region descending on the capital Kuala Lumpur to take part.
However there have been fears that choking smog from the fires in neighbouring Indonesia could float over Malaysia during the games.
The haze is an annual problem caused by slash-and-burn fires started to clear land for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations. It often blows over Malaysia and Singapore, causing flight cancellations, school closures and soaring rates of respiratory illness.
Malaysian Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin played down fears that the games would be affected by haze, saying he did not believe there was currently a threat and Indonesia had improved efforts to tackle the problem.
But he said Jakarta still needed to take precautions.
“I hope Indonesia will be able to control this problem so it does not affect (the games),” he was quoted as saying in the New Straits Times newspaper.
“I believe they will be embarrassed if it does affect the SEA Games as they, too, are competing here.”
The blazes normally peak in September and October.
But there has already been an early spike on Indonesia’s western island of Sumatra — one of the main areas hit by blazes each year — with dozens of people treated for lung infections and some schools closed in Aceh province last month.
Indonesia’s national disaster agency says there are currently about 160 “hotspots” across the country. These are areas detected by satellite that are either on fire or intensely hot and likely soon to go up in flames.
This is significantly lower than the number in 2015, when huge fires triggered a weeks-long environmental catastrophe that sent haze billowing as far as southern Thailand, causing thousands to fall ill and sending diplomatic tensions soaring. AFP
Channel NewsAsia 8 Aug 17;
SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) has put up signs and advisory notices to warn the public about crocodiles at Pasir Ris Park after two sightings of the animals were reported in the past week.
In a statement on Tuesday (Aug 8) NParks said that it had been alerted to two recent sightings of crocodiles at the park.
A crocodile was seen at the mudflat of Sungei Tampines in Pasir Ris Park last Tuesday and another sighting was reported in the waters off the park's beach on Saturday.
"They were likely to be estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), which are known to swim freely in the Straits of Johor," NParks said.
"For the safety of park users, we are monitoring the sightings and will take steps to translocate the crocodiles, should they continue to venture into publicly-accessible areas at Pasir Ris Park."
Warning signs and advisory notices were put up on Monday after the sightings near the water edge.
NParks said that visitors should "heed these signs, in particular to keep to designated paths and away from water edges".
"Should park visitors encounter a crocodile, they should stay calm and back away slowly," NParks added. "They should not approach, provoke, or feed the animal."
Video and photos appearing to show crocodiles in the Pasir Ris Park have been circulating on social media.
In one of these videos, a crocodile appears to swim in the sea near the shoreline.
If members of the public need help, they should call the NParks helpline at 1800-471 7300. More information on Estuarine Crocodiles can be found on NParks’ website.
Crocodiles spotted in north-eastern Singapore
Audrey Tan Straits Times 8 Aug 17;
SINGAPORE - Crocodiles lazing in the waters are a common sight for visitors to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in north-western Singapore.
Recently, however, these reptiles have been spotted basking in the sun in other parts of the island too.
The animals have been seen by nature photographers and visitors to Singapore's north-eastern coast, such as at Pasir Ris Park.
The National Parks Board (NParks) said in response to queries from The Straits Times that it was alerted to two recent sightings of crocodiles at Pasir Ris Park.
The first sighting took place on Aug 1.
Retired engineer and photographer Ted Lee, 60, had spotted a roughly 2m-long crocodile sunbathing on the mudflat of Sungei Tampines in Pasir Ris Park at about 4pm.
"This is the first time I have seen a crocodile at Pasir Ris Park. I knew only that there were crocodiles at Sungei Buloh, but not here. When I saw it, it was sunbathing among the herons. But it moved away after three school students took photos of it and made lot of noise," Mr Lee told The Straits Times.
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is separated from areas such as Pasir Ris by the Causeway, which blocks the flow of water. However, estuarine crocodiles are known to swim freely in the Johor Strait, said Mr Chia Seng Jiang, NParks' group director for parks.
There was another crocodile sighting on Aug 5 in the waters off the beach area of the park, he added. Last month, a video of a crocodile swimming in the waters off Sembawang was also circulated online.
Estuarine crocodiles usually feed and rest in mangroves and freshwater bodies. The animals face threats due to the destruction of their habitats and over-hunting for their hide, which is often used to make shoes and handbags.
Mr Chia assured visitors that the animals are usually found in the water or at mudflats located away from visitor routes. However, NParks is monitoring the sightings and will take steps to move the crocodiles elsewhere, should they continue to venture into publicly accessible areas at Pasir Ris Park, he said.
Warning signs and advisory notices have also been put up in the park near water edges.
Visitors who come across a crocodile should stay calm and back away slowly. They should not approach, provoke, or feed the animal. Visitors can also call the NParks helpline at 1800-471 7300 for assistance.
Audrey Tan Straits Times 8 Aug 17;
The National Day fireworks will not be the only thing lighting up the areas around the Marina Bay floating platform this year.
Rubbish bins will also be lit up - with LED lights - tomorrow so that spectators will be able to spot them and dispose of their rubbish while watching the National Day Parade (NDP) fireworks.
The "bins" - essentially areas fenced up with screens to accommodate large amounts of trash - will be deployed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) at The Promontory @ Marina Bay, the Merlion Park and the area outside the Esplanade. These are areas where people who do not have tickets to the NDP are likely to gather.
This is the first time that LED lights are being used to highlight where the bins are at an NDP.
Since 2015, the NEA and Public Hygiene Council have been working together to conduct outreach activities to encourage people soaking in the festive vibes from outside the main parade venue to pick up after themselves.
They had found over the years that some people left their trash behind as they could not locate a bin in the crowd after nightfall.
To further drive home the Keep Singapore Clean message, the Public Hygiene Council has enlisted more than 450 volunteers from various organisations, such as the Singapore Scout Association and the Waterways Watch Society, to patrol these areas to remind people to pick up after themselves.
Within the floating platform area, there will be 11 screened disposal areas for parade-goers to get rid of their trash, said the NDP 2017 Executive Committee. It will also be deploying one such bin at the Helix Bridge and another one on the pavement leading to the Esplanade.
Public Hygiene Council chairman Edward D'Silva said anecdotal observations have indicated improvements at the recent NDP preview, with spectators making conscious efforts to clean up and bin their trash before they leave.
"We hope this could be the start of a behavioural change where everyone would do their part to make Singapore truly clean every day," he added.
Audrey Tan Straits Times 8 Aug 17;
Having taken over the reins of the family's business in solar energy, Mr Frank Phuan, 40, considers himself a second-generation businessman. But there is no denying his entrepreneurial spirit nonetheless.
Over the years, he has expanded the family's business in solar energy into a group of companies - including the Sunseap Group, which made headlines in 2015 when it got a contract to supply tech giant Apple with 100 per cent renewable energy for its local operations.
In addition, Mr Phuan has been growing his family's vertical farming business, Packet Greens, since 2014, renting more space in an industrial building along Boon Lay Way to grow more crops.
What started out as a test bed for light technologies in growing crops indoors has since grown into a farm which sells over 50 varieties of pesticide-free crops to consumers and restaurants.
But Mr Phuan's "baby" is still the Sunseap Group, which now has three entities - Sunseap Leasing, Sunseap Energy and Sunseap International. The first of the three, Sunseap Leasing, was started in 2011 with just four employees.
Sunseap Group was incorporated in 2015, and set up as a company separate from his father's solar panel manufacturing firm, Compo Enterprises, which was set up in the 1970s. Compo Enterprises was later renamed Sunseap Enterprises.
Singapore is a country famed for its efficiency, honesty and transparency. When we go into these regional markets, our partners regard us as a company which comes with these same traits.
MR FRANK PHUAN, 40, who expanded his family's business in solar energy into a group of firms, including Sunseap Group.
But Sunseap Group, which today has a staff strength of 79, has a different business model from Sunseap Enterprises. It focuses on selling solar energy as a service. Sunseap Group takes care of the installation, maintenance and operation of solar panel systems, and sells the energy produced to clients.
It was a large risk due to the large amounts of capital investment needed, said Mr Phuan, who has a 20-month-old son, Christian.
Charting new territory for a family business was also not easy, said Mr Phuan, who graduated in 2000 with a degree in materials engineering from the Nanyang Technological University. He started a marketing firm and dabbled in the F&B sector before returning to the family business. Said Mr Phuan: "My father asked me why I felt things had to be changed, saying that the traditional family business had taken care of all my needs as I was growing up.
"Instead of manufacturing solar equipment, we now use the equipment to develop our service. Through this process, I became my father's customer... We managed to transform a business that is in the 'sunset industry' into one that is of a recurring model." Sunseap Group is now among the largest solar firms here with a revenue of more than $25 million last year, up from the over $1.2 million revenue Sunseap Leasing earned in 2011. The group has also expanded overseas in places like Malaysia, where it has renewable energy projects.
On the value of the Singapore brand in such expansions, Mr Phuan said: "Singapore is a country famed for its efficiency, honesty and transparency. When we go into these regional markets, our partners regard us as a company which comes with these same traits."
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