Wooden Goh smells of fear in his latest speech

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

In two years’ time, Singapore will be 50 years old. We have progressed far as a country but we seem to be trapped in a mid-life crisis. I say this because, according to some surveys, Singaporeans are amongst the world’s wealthiest but are also the most pessimistic.

We are now at an inflexion point of our development as a society. I dare say that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Cabinet are having a tougher time governing Singapore than Mr Lee Kuan Yew and I had. And it is not going to get easier.

This is because today’s external environment is more complex, competitive and uncertain than in the past. Our region will be affected by how United States-China relations develop. The growing prominence of major emerging economies, tension in North-east Asia and whether the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) can integrate and stay relevant are only some of the major external challenges that will affect us. On the economic front, before, we could make a good living as an entrepot port and by manufacturing low-valued goods like shoes, tyres and TV sets. Now, we have to compete harder against the whole world for jobs, investments and markets.

But our domestic challenges are even greater. They include: Rising costs of living; slower economic growth; ageing population; not having enough babies; a shrinking Singaporean population from 2030; continued high reliance on foreign workers and new immigrants; a more diverse and less cohesive population; and a better educated younger generation with higher expectations of life.

How should we as a Government and people respond to these challenges and avert a mid-life crisis?

Simply put, we need to write a new and inspiring chapter of the Singapore Story. Some policies and programmes that had served us well in the past need updating, or maybe even an overhaul, to ensure that they continue to serve their intended purposes. A new social compact between the people and the government will also have to be forged. Otherwise, I fear that Singapore will begin to go downhill.


REVIEW OF KEY POLICIES


The Government has already begun reviewing and improving policies on issues that cause the most anxiety to Singaporeans. I shall single out a few key areas.

- http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...id-life-crisis


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