Singapore. Bronze sculptures on the bank of the Singapore River. In the early days, many trading houses and financial businesses were set up along the Singapore River. The Bank of Calcutta was the first bank to be established here, in 1840. The Chettiars from South India were successful in their moneylending business, while the Chinese working in the clearing houses made full use of their capabilities in the thriving trade between Singapore and China. An interesting aspect of this sculpture is the inclusion of a lady stock trader in a modern dress. Appearing to be engaged in a business deal with the depiction of the early Chettiar and Chinese, sculptor Chern Lian Shan shows the transformation of the commercial area around Raffles Place and the Singapore River from the past to the present times. In the background is another bronze by sculptor Malcolm Koh of the scene at the Singapore River when it was a busy trading port. It was a common sight to see European traders making deals with Chinese towkays, while Chinese pigtailed coolies and turban-wearing South Indian coolies loaded and unloaded goods at the harbour. The towkay would measure the weight of the goods by a traditional weighing scale called the daching, and proceed in his negotiation with the traders from all around the world. 2012