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Becoming the SINGAPORE of the Caribbean

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The pace at which Singapore has achieved so-called first world status- in a generation- has ensured mention in case studies to be found in any management volume of standing. By every account it is a well managed country directed by a relevant strategic plan, disciplined society, adequate workforce with required skill sets to execute plans, routine enforcement of laws etc. You get the picture. It is a country serious about effectively and efficiently directing its resources.

One cannot recognize Singapore’s success without the mention of the benevolent dictator Lee Kuan Yew whose approach to governing is labelled authoritarian pragmatism. Whether a benevolent or malevolent dictator Lee Kuan Yew was able to operate above the strictures of a democracy therefore charting a course for Singapore from a personal vision. What we are seeing today is the legacy effect of his tenure from 1959 to 1990.

The preamble serves to introduce Rwanda which has been dubbed the Singapore of Africa. The average person will remember Rwanda for the genocide that occurred against the Tutsi group a short 25 years ago. It is reported that 800, 000 million were killed. The question that immediately springs to mind is how in a relatively short time Rwanda was able to undergo a transformation to be the Singapore of Africa.

“If you hear a voice within you saying ‘you are not a painter’ then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.”

– Vincent Van Gogh

Enter former military leader Paul Kasgame. What is common is that both Singapore and Rwanda have been led by ‘dictators’. Both countries have scarified on civil liberties in order to advance the country on the economic prosperity index. The observation one can make is the key role transportation has played in the transformation to support being a significant business hub player.

Watch the following video to appreciate why we have to lift our game. The facile approach to policy formulation and execution will not significantly move the needle to achieve a model for success necessary to sustain our people by being competitive in a muy competitive world. The 65k question – what should be Barbados’ model for success.

The video is a short 13 minutes which aligns with the attention span of many on the blog.

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123 responses to “Becoming the SINGAPORE of the Caribbean”

  1. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “The question that immediately springs to mind is how in a relatively short time Rwanda was able to undergo a transformation to be the Singapore of Africa..”

    don’t know about all the other accusations leveled at him, but the dude had a purpose, a vision, a focus for his PEOPLE and COUNTRY and he IMPLEMENTED…he REMOVED ALL COLONIAL SLAVE LAWS OFF THE STATUTE BOOKS, which by the way is STRANGLING other African countries…….i am presuming he figured out that democracy is just a pretty renamed and relabeled word for COLONIZATION. reupped…..and focused instead on the WELLBEING, happiness and ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT OF BLACK/AFRICAN PEOPLE…who elected him, he did the job for which his people pay him…i can only imagine how many sell out negros he had to battle over a 20 year period…there is no end to those imps and pimps, walking cadavers..

    all of the above is a tall bridge too far for CORRUPT SMALL ISLAND GOVERNMENTS who love to pimp for, collude with, rob their people and take bribes from racists and thieves like themselves…they are enablers, not fit for purpose.

    i remember when this administration got elected by the people, just in case they think they elected themselves or that the minority class of criminals elected them, Rwanda was one of the African countries, can’t remember if they visited but was on their time table of taxpayer funded whirlwind tours, and in no time at all ya heard Morocco..a slave country, which is more their low class style, was in their wicked minds the land of opportunity for them.

    dude in Kigali must not have been corrupt Enuff for what they had planned, which all turned to shit anyway, they could have connected with the dude in Rwanda instead, too late now…they are way too famous on the Continent and everywhere else for that.

  2. rshim609 Avatar
    rshim609

    It seems to me that all the CARIBBEAN GOVERNMENTS are doing is TALKING about the success of Singapore.

  3. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    They have been TALKING about Singapore for DECADES..

    they can achieve the same success without the strong arm dictator tactics, no need to in docile communities…but when they think of ALL THE BRIBES they will be missing out on, they prefer to SINK economically, all in the name of self-aggrandizement.

  4. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    David

    Have you gone to Singapore. There’s more to this story than popularly reported.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    @Pacha

    Please enlighten us. Have a very close associates who visited on observer team.

  6. John A Avatar
    John A

    I wish people would stop comparing Barbados to Singapore as it is pointless. Forget the fancy buildings and clean streets and talk about what is practically a military srate, where chewing gum could land you in jail.

    There you do as told and forget talk of unions. The country is a disciplined focus country with one objective and it’s to make money. Their per capita is one of the highest in the world and people live well. Of course that is providing you willing to do as told and not question the system.

    My point is there success came at a price and I can’t see west Indians making those sacrifices. Also here we have this thing called politics Where the leaders say they want change, but of course they can’t upset things too much. Again not a problem the leader of Singapore has either.

    So please stop comparing us cause bajan politicians will never risk the vote if radical change was the reason as did Singapore, where winning an election was never a concern.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    You would have noted the question asked at the end of the blog?

    What is the best governance/system of government to sustain success for Barbados. It is obvious to the blogmaster our current setup needs massive overhaul.

    There is an appreciation that countries like Singapore, Rwanda fashioned an approach based on the uniqueness/nuance of the country.

  8. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    You are on fire. You are so tolerant of nonsense, which I admire. The Confucian cultures are prepared to trade democracy for economic progress. Are we?
    @John A a few years ago banks were lending unemployed Barbadians money to buy costumes in order to take part in Crop Over. We are talking about discipline.

  9. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Hal

    The level of discipline Singapore demands is not one that I see bajans bending to as they will lose too man rights, including the right of not coming work on birthdays etc. LOL

    Don’t look at the success of Singapore and China without also looking at the price the people paid in terms of personal liberties.

  10. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    I agree with you 100% that we need to change our system, but i can tell you all the politicians talk they will never introduce a Singapore system as long as elections are held every few years and the risk of being voted out exist.

  11. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    You have entered a circular argument. Discipline is required. The reason Singapore and Rwanda have been able to transform in a relatively short time is because civil liberties have had to be curtailed. How do we demand the kind of disciple from our people given a way of living. If we cannot solve this issue all of the questions you repeatedly post are not solvable.

  12. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    And there in lies the problem does the chicken come first or does the egg?

  13. David Avatar
    David

    This where Pacha enters the discussion to shout #REVOLUTION.

  14. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    https://webmail.excite.com/1759002b/gds/popout.html

  15. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Who tell you that these were right????

    They might to get where they wanted to get. The people paid a terrible price especially the poor. Rwanda went thru a big massacre led by the same the same PRESIDENT.

    Hundreds of thousands people were slaughtered. Is this what we are hoping for Barbados????

    Rwanda is a one party state. ‘ According to Human Rights Watch, these laws effectively make Rwanda a one-party state, as “under the guise of preventing another genocide, the government displays a marked intolerance of the most basic forms of dissent”.[83] Amnesty International is also critical; in its 2014/15 report, Amnesty said that laws against inciting insurrection or trouble among the population had been used to imprison people “for the legitimate exercise of their rights to freedom of association or of expression”.[84]

    ‘………..but also allege interference in the judicial system by members of the government, such as the politically motivated appointment of judges, misuse of prosecutorial power, and pressure on judges to make particular decisions’

    THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT FOR BARBADOS???????

    A dictatorship??????

    A despot ruling Barbados?????
    That is what you are calling for?????

  16. David Avatar
    David

    Did you take the time to read the blog? If you did the comment does not address the inquiry.

  17. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @Carson

    In Rwanda it was not a massacre, it was genocide, ethnic genocide. And this brain dead president wants us to form relations with these people, who murdered nearly a million of their own people. What do you think they will do to Bajans.
    Many people in Barbados have a romantic view of Africans, but those of use who live with them everyday do not. Why do you think the majority of black people in the Tory party are Africans? They should talk more to returnees.
    But, according to our self-obsessed president, Rwandans want to learn to play cricket. Idiot.

  18. Dullard Avatar
    Dullard

    *clickbait

  19. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    “The video is a short 13 minutes which aligns with the attention span of many on the blog.”
    Murdah. I suspect it is 10min too long.

  20. Carson C Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C Cadogan

    HAL

    i knew that you would see it in the right way.

    Why do we need to be led by a DESPOT?????

    It boggles my mind. Why do we want to follow these animals????? This sounds like something THE WHITE BAJANS and INDIANS of Barbados would want.

  21. David Avatar
    David

    What is sure is you and your vintage will never be the force for change.

  22. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David

    What is going to be Intersting going forward is that covid will force change because goverment will have serious revenue shortfalls to deal with. This will force them to make changes they will not want to make with elections closing in. The hotel sector as we know it will change as will the employment opportunities. It therefore can not be business as usual anymore. We can play with it as we are doing now for a few months and chalk up a massive deficit by year end, or we can implement radical change. The problem we have that Singapore does not is that we are 2 years from an election roughly so don’t look for no radical change. That’s why i say we will never be a Singapore as we do not have a dictatorships in the islands that could risk to say ” to hell with the vote these measures will be implemented regardless.”

    That my friend is the price you pay for free elections. Now mind you I am not saying we can’t do better, of course we can. Look at places like Switzerland and you will see that growth and wealth does not only have to come in the form of a dictatorship.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    What your comment reinforces from the blog is that the system of governing the country is not calibrated to deliver results. We know this and unless we are able to learn from other countries that have forced through transformational change we will continue to be mediocre. We have the examples of Singapore and Rwanda where authoritarian methods were/are used. What can be our equivalent? We know our culture does not have the appetite for the authortarian. While we ponder economic atrophy will continue.

  24. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Boy, my attention span is so short today I haven’t even pressed play.

    The title alone turns me off. How about making Barbados the best Barbados it can be? I don’t want us to be a Singapore. These comparisons are irritating.

  25. John A Avatar
    John A

    @David

    Other countries have done well without forcing dictatorship down their people’s throats.

    Norway is another good example where reform has been implemented without the need for a dictatorship. First we have to stop playing with the economy and implement changes to take into account the revenue shortfall. After the crash in 2008 countries that restructured are still holding their own even with the post covid economy, for example Germany. The countries that did not restructure after 2008 in any real way are the ones that will catch their tail today. It calls for an open discussion with the populace and the sharing with them of our reality. For example have you heard anyone in the MOF speak to what the deficit is at the end of September here in Bim? No and don’t look to have that discussion either, as what will follow 2 years before elections will not be seen as positive.

    That is our reality. Last elections Sinkyuh kept printing so as to get to elections, let’s see if this group will Try to keep the civil service as is and in so doing run a massive deficit between now and elections as well.

    After all 6 and half dozen is the same thing ain’t it?

  26. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    Tell us what Norway has done that we can use as a case study for what it will take to undertake transformation. As a people we tend to latch to the problem and become turnoff by the effort needed to go to the root. Our culture will not embrace authoritarian rule. Our taste is to be addicted to foreign. We know from the national conversations that COVID 19 has not shifted from the old narratives. You are correct that with a general election on the horizon the BLP will do what political parties do by padding popularity even if it collides with national imperatives.

    Maybe if Mottley wins in 2023 she can be the dictator some here believe her to be.

  27. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    Look closer at home. The Jamaicans beat us hands down.

    Chukka Caribbean Adventures (Barbados) Ltd will be managing Harrison’s Cave from December 1.

    This was confirmed by Caves of Barbados Ltd yesterday evening in a media statement, hours after a meeting was held with staff to inform them of the new development.

    Chukka Caribbean Adventures is Jamaica’s largest nature adventure tour operator. The company has multiple locations in Jamaica as well as operations in Turks & Caicos, Belize and the Dominican Republic.

    In the statement, Caves of Barbados noted that Chukka was selected out of four bids.

    “Chukka was chosen based on the high quality of their submission which offered a strong proposal for investment and development of the attraction. The selection of a shortlisted bid was then followed by months of negotiation of a contract led by a Government-appointed college of negotiators.” ..(Quote)

  28. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    “Paul Kagame, (born October 1957, Rwanda), Rwandan military leader and politician, who, as leader of the Rwandan Patriot Front, defeated Hutu extremist forces to end the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In 2000 he became president of Rwanda.

    Neither side was able to gain a decisive advantage in the war, and the Rwandan government led by President Juvénal Habyarimana signed the Arusha Accords with the RPF on 4 August 1993. Many historians argue that a genocide against the Tutsi had been planned for at least a year”

    Carson…i don’t have the full story about the president at the time of the massacre, but i think you have the wrong president. these dudes seemed to have ended the massacre which mean they were not in power at the time…….stop panicking like a little girl…yall have so much mouth on a blog…but ya hear a little blood shed and ya ready to run…

  29. David Avatar
    David

    Jamaica beat us using what measure? Certainly not by the yardstick of quality of society.

  30. John A Avatar
    John A

    @David

    Norway and others have simply laid out for it’s people that life could not go on after 2008 as normal. It reviewed its state operations and tightened up on wastage and efficiency. Basically they ensured the state got what was owed it and preached efficiency as the only option.

    In the meantime we forgave $400M in vat owed to the state and have a tax system with more holes in it that a big hole strainer. Talking about it don’t make it happen, we are grossly inefficient when it comes to state entities. You believe in either of the countries I mentioned you could have a NIS scheme that has not filed audited financials for years? You think they would tolerate such blatant nonesence?

    We talk nuff and pontificate but are piss poor at enforcement and implementing any real change. We got away with it in the pre covid economy but will not going forward.

    They only got 2 ways to make money legally that I know of. You can either spend less or generate more, there is no 3 option. Whether it is a private business or a goverment the same rules apply. So either spend less or close your revenue leakage from all sources. Dem ain’t no door number 3 to look behind neither.

  31. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    Why is that Barbados has to like Singapore or Rwanda????

    Why cant Barbados be like Barbados????

    Being ruled by a DESPOT is out of the question. Especially one who wants to legalize same sex marriages. Who does nothing for BLACK PEOPLE. But full of a lot of flowery speeches, but no action to to satisfy the 97% of the population of Barbados.

    Only know their worth every 5 years when it is voting time, then see you the next 5 years.

    The WHITE BAJANS AND INDIANS who make 3% of our population and control the Barbados Labour Party must really think that we are idiots.

  32. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    ……….”.but also allege interference in the judicial system by members of the government, such as the politically motivated appointment of judges, misuse of prosecutorial power, and pressure on judges to make particular decisions”

    hypocrite…who interfers in the judiciary more than yall low life ministers, did they not just allow a white sexual predator from UK to assault a black woman on the island and intefered in the case, letting him walk free instead of paying for his crime…what about all the other cases…..what about the recent accusations about 2 judges involved in the theft of an estate with the deceased body disappearing from the hospital and his disappearing bank accounts..

    .who just installed the two judges….who better than you would know??

    yall memories way too short.

  33. John A Avatar
    John A

    @Hal

    Yes I heard that yesterday but have to tell you i am disappointed it didn’t go to a local company. Having said that without seeing the tenders to comment further would only be a matter of speculation.

    The Jamaicans have been forced to restructure after all their devaluations. You got to remember many young bajans that came along in the days or milk and honey under Arthur have never known hardship. This post covid reality is going to be a wakeup call for many.

  34. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Am sure over the years i heard news that those responsible for the masscre were up in the Haig, where a bunch of yall should be yaselves.

  35. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @HA
    you must know it was rumoured for months that Chukka was taking over. So much so, one local bidder I am aware of, was hesitant to bid.
    Based on the financials for the Caves laid before Parliament in recent months, where they revealed the annual GRANTS from the GoB exceeded the annual revenue, what will be interesting is the nitty gritty of the contract.
    Better it be another Caricom entity, other than a local white or Indian operator?

  36. Carson C Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C Cadogan

    I don’t get it????

    The Black people pay their fair share of taxes. The WHITE BAJANS and INDIANS don’t.

    Yet the Govt,. any govt., does go them and lock up some for misappropriating these taxes. That is why Barbados is always short of tax money.

  37. David Avatar
    David

    @John

    Fiscal discipline accepted, what else?

  38. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    There are many developing/poor countries in the world and some of them are Singapore’s neighbours. They no doubt would like to emulate Singapore’s economic success. One would think if there was a magic bullet to achieve same, they would have already used it.

  39. Hal Austin Avatar
    Hal Austin

    @ John A

    What I find disappointing is that young, intelligent Barbadians seem not to understand business. I can give you a story, but will save the details. Sometime ago a young Barbadian with a very good business proposal emailed me and asked if I could find him/her some funding.
    S/he was in luck. The first person I approached was very keen. I then asked the person to send me a business plan and three years’ financials. S/he refused.
    S/he obviously thought that just pitching an idea was good enough for getting money. I put it down to the business culture and the banks’ failure to encourage a business environment.
    I will repeat another story I have told here before. A few years ago I was invited by the ZR owners to attend a meeting in the Port with government officials.
    During the meeting, the ZR owners complained about the high insurance rates they had to pay; I suggested that they should self-insure – either by establishing their own motor insurance company, reinsure for third party, fire and theft, and either enter a contract with a local garage or open their own.
    A elderly guy on the government’s side, who clearly lived in Britain, almost choked: “You can’t do that”, he screamed. He did not say why not.
    The other way I suggested was that they should pool their insurance and negotiate with a single provider. In that way they would carry a lot of clout.
    I expected at the very least that they would ask to discuss the matter further. If I remember correctly, the ZR owners did not even say thanks to me. If I got that wrong I must apologise. They were happier discussing uniforms.
    I was happy to spend the rest of the meeting talking to an old school mate who was one of the government’s officers. But the issue remains: why do ZR owners pay such high premiums (premia) to those motor insurers?

  40. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David.

    That and Implementation are our 2 biggest shortfalls. We have a garrison of rules but have always had difficulty implementing them. Whether it is the ZRS or the vat frauds, we fail in policing our legislation. Stop and think on this for a minute the same year we forgave $500M in vat payments we raised $400M in New taxation! What sort of economic madness was that?

    Now look at when we abolished license fees for cars and put the tax on at the pump how the state benefited. Vat is the fairest tax as if you don’t want it you can leave the item there. Problem is we don’t use the tool properly and enforce it. So why when the outstanding vat receipts were at $100M we didn’t move on the defaulters then? Why we had to let it reach $500M then to forgive them?

    Talk talk talk dat is we specialty.

  41. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    We need a dictator? We

  42. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David.

    No thank you! We need our leaders though to embrace change and the reality of the post covid economy. We have at least 2 years to survive on lower revenue numbers so take wunna head out the sand and start implementing change. Also stop talking about what happened in 2019, we will not see those levels of tourism and economic activity for a while so stop dwelling on it. The 40,000 unemployed will not find work in the tourism sector either in the short to medium term so let that pipe dream go also.

    What are the plans therefore for FX saving enterprises? What are we doing with agriculture and alternative energy as both can ease the demand for FX. Do we really need to import 40 brands of bottle water or should we just set up one plant locally for example? In other words what are we doing to help ourselves as a people rely less on FX imports?

  43. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @JohnA
    door #3 is DEBT. Once $$$ are flowing into locals pockets, they could care less about source. Revenue less expenses is a long outdated measure. You need only observe that from 2006-2018, the GoB ran a deficit in each year. In 2 of those years, ’13 & ’14 it exceeded a billion dollars. All a’we still alive?

  44. David Avatar
    David

    However we spin it, significant change must be led in an uncompromising unaccomadating way.

  45. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Canadian Lt. -Gen. Roméo Dallaire led the UN forces in Rwanda, and his warnings to the world about the violence fell on deaf ears. Within 100 days in 1994, supporters of the Hutu-majority government killed about 800,000 people, and Dallaire returned to Canada with PTSD and psychological scars he bears to this day.

    https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/the-sunday-edition-for-april-7-2019-1.5086008/my-soul-is-still-in-rwanda-25-years-after-the-genocide-rom%C3%A9o-dallaire-still-grapples-with-guilt-1.5086075#:~:text=Canadian%20Lt.,he%20bears%20to%20this%20day.

  46. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Northern

    That is true but how many defaults you feel we could risk to call when the day of reckoning come next time? We went to the lenders once already and told them to swallow some debt we owe. That can’t happen again or we will never be able to go to an international lender to borrow a cent. Plus remember the debt restructuring was pre covid before the revenue ship the SS Tourism get cat straddle by covid. So how we plan now to deal with what we still got to pay with revenue down 20% at least on 2019 and 2018? We going back now and hire WO and beg for more forgiveness?

    I keep saying our leaders need to have a ” come to jesus” discussion with the populace and make them understand the doo doo we in.

  47. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    “The Importance Of Discipline
    Singaporeans place a lot of importance on discipline, and corporal punishment is widely accepted.

    Caning is not only used to punish criminals but also as a disciplinary measure in schools, the military, and in the domestic scene. Do not be surprised to find canes sold in grocery stores. They usually cost around 50 Singapore cents and are made of thin rattan with a plastic hook at the end to serve as the handle.

    They are made for the sole purpose of parental caning. Make sure you respect the local culture and adhere to their strict standards of proper behavior.”

  48. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    We have to mirror the model with a home grown flavour.

  49. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    John A,

    Just last week I told David that this is an opportune time to level with Barbadians. They know we cannot go on this way. They aren’t stupid. He asked me how that worked for Bree St. John. Now he talks of discipline and dictatorships.

    Bree St.John did not have the pandemic and the consequent global economic collapse to excuse him. Bree St. John had tourists coming in.

    You think Bajans are stupid?

  50. David Avatar
    David

    Bajans are addicted to consumption behaviour. Read the recent Stability Report to see the exponential growth in household deb, credit card accounts for 300 milliont. During a pandemic with all the uncertainty new motor cars are being sold, customs department is very busy clearing packages from ordered from Amazon and other sellers. Barbadians will not curb their behaviour based on self discipline. Listen to the political rhetoric in the SGN platform.

    http://www.centralbank.org.bb/news/article/10054/household-debt-is-up-what-does-that-mean-for-financial-stability

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