Dear Editor,
Having read columnist Garfield Higgins' piece in The Agenda on Sunday, January 4, 2015, titled 'In the PNP they know nothing about growth', I must add him to the long list of those who, in comparing Jamaica's no-growth to Singapore's vault from Third to First World status over the past 50 years, conveniently omit the ingredients they don't like.
Cuba is perennially berated as a one-party state, lacking Western-style elections, where the leadership has been passed on from one Castro brother to another. Yet, what is the Singapore which Higgins praises? A state where one party has been in power since 1965, and where the leadership has been passed from father to son. A state with about the same population as Jamaica -- but far less land space -- where rigid discipline is, yes, imposed; where there is severe punishment for crime (especially drugs); population control and central planning are among the key factors of success.
There's not a word about any of that from Higgins! Nor does he opine a view as to how Lee Kuan Yew could have so spectacularly succeeded in lifting his country to First-World status while the Castros and Michael Manley did not.
Could it be that, while doing all of the above — normally anathema to superpowers like USA — he did not "run up his mouth" against Washington?
Could it be that he did not attach a label like "Communism" or "Democratic Socialism" to what he was doing?
And, could it be that whenever any measures that could actually reduce crime significantly are advocated these days in Jamaica a hue and cry goes up.
Could it be that Jamaicans want to give birth but don't want to get pregnant? Want to go to Heaven but don't want to die? How does any government grant those wishes? Just asking. We have to put in the work.
Errol W A Townsend
Ontario, Canada
ewat@rogers.com
Give the full picture of Singapore, Higgins
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Having read columnist Garfield Higgins' piece in The Agenda on Sunday, January 4, 2015, titled 'In the PNP they know nothing about growth', I must add him to the long list of those who, in comparing Jamaica's no-growth to Singapore's vault from Third to First World status over the past 50 years, conveniently omit the ingredients they don't like.
Cuba is perennially berated as a one-party state, lacking Western-style elections, where the leadership has been passed on from one Castro brother to another. Yet, what is the Singapore which Higgins praises? A state where one party has been in power since 1965, and where the leadership has been passed from father to son. A state with about the same population as Jamaica -- but far less land space -- where rigid discipline is, yes, imposed; where there is severe punishment for crime (especially drugs); population control and central planning are among the key factors of success.
There's not a word about any of that from Higgins! Nor does he opine a view as to how Lee Kuan Yew could have so spectacularly succeeded in lifting his country to First-World status while the Castros and Michael Manley did not.
Could it be that, while doing all of the above — normally anathema to superpowers like USA — he did not "run up his mouth" against Washington?
Could it be that he did not attach a label like "Communism" or "Democratic Socialism" to what he was doing?
And, could it be that whenever any measures that could actually reduce crime significantly are advocated these days in Jamaica a hue and cry goes up.
Could it be that Jamaicans want to give birth but don't want to get pregnant? Want to go to Heaven but don't want to die? How does any government grant those wishes? Just asking. We have to put in the work.
Errol W A Townsend
Ontario, Canada
ewat@rogers.com
Give the full picture of Singapore, Higgins
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