Mr. Lee Speaks April 10th, 2009
Lee Kuan Yew is the the former prime minister of Singapore. He is the adviser, the mentor and the father of the current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. The senior Lee spoke recently at the S Rajaratnam Lecture in the topic of foreign relations and the ways in which the times have changed between then, when he was prime minister, and now. His concerns were in keeping Singapore important and necessary, to ensure the continued international interest in his county and the insurance of the survival of the city state, economically and politically. Smaller countries, he stated must remain creative and pro-active to overcome barriers due to limited resources and geographical restraints . He wishes to keep Singapore the viable international player the country is currently. For decades Singapore has been a financial epicenter, with big businesses such as Singapore’s five star hotels and restaurants holding downtown conventions as well as training seminars and international conventions. The work ethic and philosophy is what has set Singapore apart in the past, what has been considered different and appealing about the society, and Lee contends that that is what the government and the businesses must continue to focus on. They must focus on what makes the country special and to become very intuitive as to what other countries and which ones that will benefit and continue to support Singapore’s growth and continued viability in the world market.
He mentions various allies of Singapore from past decades, siting that Japan, Taiwan and the United States have been partners in many symbiotic ways that have proved beneficial to all those involved. He further stressed that the anticipation of what will come, the intelligent anticipation, provides opportunities that could be missed when people are not paying close enough attention to ever changing tides of the world. Smaller countries must act quickly and resolutely because they can lose what they have gained very quickly. He mentioned the current economic recession in the United States and it is his belief that the size of the country and resources will ensure that solutions will be found quickly. He has great respect for the resilience of the U.S. and the creativity of those working on resolving the economic crisis. He points out the various allies to the United States, further illustrating and supporting his beliefs that other countries shall help those in their time of need. And while he states his concerns he is certain that Singapore will continue to prosper in the world market in the years to come.
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