The GC
The entire contingent is housed in Mount Vernon Camp, which is their one-stop location for work as well as personal life. While most new recruits come to Singapore alone since they are usually in their late teens or early twenties, they are allowed to bring along their wives and immediate family members to Singapore as they move on into the next phases of their personal lives.
Ultimately, the officers know they are here only on a temporary basis, further enforced by the fact that they are disallowed from integrating too much with local society. Due to their chief purpose as a neutral presence here, they are not allowed to marry Singaporean women, hence the allowance to bring their wives and children from Nepal to the camp. At the end of their contract, they are expected to return to their villages and back to a rural life dependent on agriculture. Only a handful have ever been known to have broken this tradition and chosen to stay in the city-state.
The camp itself is built on a relatively secluded area in Mount Vernon, taking over facilities previously occupied by the reserve units. Comprehensive facilities to create a self-contained township-like complex allows most daily chores and needs to be fulfilled within the camp without too much interaction with the outside world. This also helps to reduce the amount of traffic into and out of the camp for security reasons.
Still, dwellers in the complex are not prohibited from leaving the camp or utilising services and facilities outside it. Throngs of school-going Nepalese children regularly leave and enter the camp everyday, wearing the uniforms of national schools. The camp's close proximity to Bartley Secondary School has seen a significant number of Nepalese children being enrolled there, although they can also be found in schools much further away as the children become gradually assimilated into Singaporean society and culture. They cannot sink their roots deeply, however, as most of them are in the country on dependent passes, and are compelled to leave Singapore when they turn 21.
Still most of these young Nepalese are unlikely to follow their fathers' footsteps, and armed with education certificates, are expected to lead quite a different life compared to previous generations should they return to Nepal. They also have the liberty to apply for employment passes to work in Singapore, as is the case for any other foreigner seeking employment in the country, and it is possible to obtain permanent residence and even citizenship, although these young Nepalese receive no special treatment in obtaining permanent status.
The surrounding commercial outlets thrive on business brought about by the Nepalese community based here, and it is a common sight to see officers doing their daily recreational runs around the major roads close to the camp, albeit always in civilian running attire and running alone or in small groups to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves.
The Gurkha community has been known to extend aid to their fellow Nepalese in Singapore, such as during the operation to separate the conjoined twins Ganga and Jamuna at the Singapore General Hospital in November 2001, where they helped to raise funds for the medical procedure and daily expenses, accommodated the family at their Mount Vernon home for a period of time, and assisting in making logistical arrangements for the family's transportation and other needs.[7]
Back in Nepal, the Gurkha Welfare Trust seeks to preserve the legacy and heritage of the Gurkhas with the opening of Gurkha Memorial Museum in the premises of Hotel Nature Land at Pardi, Pokhara. There, uniforms and badges of the GC are on display together with those serving with the British Army [7]. Locals and tourists alike have visited the place, a reflection of the high regard local Nepalese hold for their counterparts who have served in these overseas organisations.
Despite their temporary employment basis, it is considered highly honourable to serve as a GC member back in Nepal, and there is always a ready pool of young men eager to join the contingent, with well over 20,000 applications seeking to join the British Army or the GC annually for just 370 places. The good income, way of life, and the affordable and excellent education for their children (or future children) are further draws. With the increasing concerns against terrorism and the continued security threat Singapore face, it is likely the GC will have an increased and sustained role in Singapore's future, despite original intentions of the contingent itself as a temporary security measure during Singapore's early turbulent years.
Mount Vernon Camp, also known as the Gurkha Cantonment, is an establishment of the Singapore Police Force built to house the training and residential facilities of the Gurkha Contingent's Gurkhas and their families. Located at Mount Vernon near to the secludedness of the Bidadari Cemetery, it has undergone expansion on the hilly terrain, particularly with the introduction of modern, high quality high-rise housing blocks for the over 2,000 officers and their families-in-tow.
The road leading into the camp is named Kathmandu Road after the capital city of Nepal. Built as a self-contained complex due to security concerns to minimise movements into and out of the complex, it has its own shops, schools and even playgrounds for the younger children, which contingent commander Bruce M. Niven equates to being a township all on its own.
Dwellers in the complex are not prohibited from leaving the camp or utilising services and facilities outside it. Throngs of school-going Nepalese children regularly leave and enter the camp everyday, wearing the uniforms of national schools. The camp's close proximity to Bartley Secondary School has seen a significant number of Nepalese children being enrolled there, although they can also be found in schools much further away as the children become gradually assimilated into Singaporean society and culture. The surrounding commercial outlets thrive on business brought about by the Nepalese community based here, and it is a common sight to see officers doing their daily recreational runs around the major roads close to the camp.
Phase 2B of the complex expansion commenced in 2001 costing S$42.2 million and added 93,568 m2 of largely residential space. Designed by PWD Consultants and built by the China Construction (South Pacific) Development Co, it was completed by 2003 [1]. The complex continues to undergo physical upgrading works today, with the government setting aside another S$47.8 million for the expansion works being carried out from 2004 into 2006 [2].
About 2,000 Gurkhas contribute to the Singapore government. After 6 years of service they are allowed to bring their wife and children to Singapore until the end of their service. However their children are not allowed to stay after reaching twenty-one years of age. If this rule is not met, they can be arrested by the immigration authorities. The children are only allowed to study in Singapore. The children along with their wives are also not allowed to seek any kind of employment
