<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published November 7, 2009
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>S'pore takes nothing for granted: Swee Say
With global shift, there's constant worry that things can go wrong
By LEE U-WEN
<TABLE class=storyLinks border=0 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=1 width=136 align=right><TBODY><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right> </TD><TD>Email this article</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right> </TD><TD>Print article </TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right> </TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD colSpan=2><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --> <SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#pub=xa-4ae026ba0e05c08d"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var addthis_config = { username: "xa-4ae026ba0e05c08d", services_compact: 'facebook, twitter, favorites, myspace, google, digg, live, delicious, stumbleupon, more', services_exclude: 'print', data_use_flash: false } </SCRIPT> <!-- AddThis Button END --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
THE Singapore economy may be in recovery mode now, but the government is far from feeling comfortable as it looks ahead to the next 5-10 years.
<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD> </TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>MR LIM
As a result of this downturn, the world has changed. The only way for Singapore to stay ahead and keep prospering is to be faster than the other economies
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Labour chief Lim Swee Say said that while the country is very much a first-world nation - be it in public transport, healthcare, standard of living and so on - the feeling among its leaders is that 'the best is yet to come'.
Speaking during a dialogue at the Insead Leadership Summit yesterday as part of the international business school's 50th anniversary, Mr Lim said that there would always be a 'sense of insecurity' that things can go wrong because Singapore is a small country and is heavily dependent on others to prosper.
'We look at the next 5-10 years - what's happening to the global economy? There is a global shift taking place,' said Mr Lim, who is also a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
'As a result of this downturn, the world has changed - the better competitors are becoming cheaper, the cheaper ones are becoming better. So the only way for Singapore to outdo them is to be faster than the other economies.'
During the question- and-answer session, a delegate from the Philippines asked Mr Lim for his views on the 'brain drain' her country was facing as talented workers leave for greener pastures such as Singapore.
Mr Lim replied that while Singapore continues to adopt an 'open-door policy' for foreign manpower, the eventual wish is for all the 10 Asean economies to be integrated and successful.
'Will the Philippine economy do well enough to attract Singapore talent to go there to work, or talent from other countries? It's for their leadership to make it happen,' he explained. 'In Singapore, we don't depend on other countries, hoping for them to enable us to grow. We live in the real world. Nobody owes us a living. We are going to go all out to make sure our economy is competitive.'
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>S'pore takes nothing for granted: Swee Say
With global shift, there's constant worry that things can go wrong
By LEE U-WEN
<TABLE class=storyLinks border=0 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=1 width=136 align=right><TBODY><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right> </TD><TD>Email this article</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right> </TD><TD>Print article </TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right> </TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD colSpan=2><!-- AddThis Button BEGIN --> <SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#pub=xa-4ae026ba0e05c08d"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var addthis_config = { username: "xa-4ae026ba0e05c08d", services_compact: 'facebook, twitter, favorites, myspace, google, digg, live, delicious, stumbleupon, more', services_exclude: 'print', data_use_flash: false } </SCRIPT> <!-- AddThis Button END --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
THE Singapore economy may be in recovery mode now, but the government is far from feeling comfortable as it looks ahead to the next 5-10 years.
<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD> </TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>MR LIM
As a result of this downturn, the world has changed. The only way for Singapore to stay ahead and keep prospering is to be faster than the other economies
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Labour chief Lim Swee Say said that while the country is very much a first-world nation - be it in public transport, healthcare, standard of living and so on - the feeling among its leaders is that 'the best is yet to come'.
Speaking during a dialogue at the Insead Leadership Summit yesterday as part of the international business school's 50th anniversary, Mr Lim said that there would always be a 'sense of insecurity' that things can go wrong because Singapore is a small country and is heavily dependent on others to prosper.
'We look at the next 5-10 years - what's happening to the global economy? There is a global shift taking place,' said Mr Lim, who is also a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
'As a result of this downturn, the world has changed - the better competitors are becoming cheaper, the cheaper ones are becoming better. So the only way for Singapore to outdo them is to be faster than the other economies.'
During the question- and-answer session, a delegate from the Philippines asked Mr Lim for his views on the 'brain drain' her country was facing as talented workers leave for greener pastures such as Singapore.
Mr Lim replied that while Singapore continues to adopt an 'open-door policy' for foreign manpower, the eventual wish is for all the 10 Asean economies to be integrated and successful.
'Will the Philippine economy do well enough to attract Singapore talent to go there to work, or talent from other countries? It's for their leadership to make it happen,' he explained. 'In Singapore, we don't depend on other countries, hoping for them to enable us to grow. We live in the real world. Nobody owes us a living. We are going to go all out to make sure our economy is competitive.'
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