The WHAT Industry?!?!

I am not sure if I should be flattered or insulted that my colleagues dumped this in my in-tray this morning.

The title heading the document, replete with a Republic of Singapore insignia was "INVITATION TO TENDER -FOR- FOR APPOINTMENT OF CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP A SET OF ACCREDITATION STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE LOCAL DATING INDUSTRY".

"The WHAT industry?" was my reaction.

I read on further.

"1.1 On 17 Nov 2006, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) announced new initiatives to raise standards in the local dating industry.

1.2 As the local dating industry becomes more developed with the emergence of new players, it is timely to raise professional standards in the industry through accreditation to give singles the confidence to use services provided by private sector agencies.

1.3 This accreditation scheme will be introduced for the local dating industry in mid-2007. Accreditation standards would be applied to both dating agencies and dating practitioners. The accredited agencies will carry the Social Development Unit (SDU) Trust Mark."

Am I the only one who finds it laughable that we actually live in a country that has to depend on a set of government regulations on match making agencies for DATING?! Even if you attend a SDU event, are Singaporeans so mindless and spineless that they can't detect scams and what-not using their own common sense?! What's next? Laws regulating fucking?! Oh wait we do have some of those...

Sigh.