The Singapore of the 1980s is the past, the nation is in a fresh phase of nation building and tranformation is in progress. The country has worked hard to get to where it is today, creating a knowledge-based economy with the form and feel of the First World. Now, the stage is set to raise the nation higher yet, to the top tier of that rank.
In the process, Singaporean should see a marked improvement in their already-high quality of life. And indeed, it is already possible to find signs of the "new stae in our development" which Minister Mentor Lee noted in his speech.
Along the promenade by the Esplanade performing-arts complex, there are open-air restaurants and bars where patrons can relax by the water after an evening of music, dance and theatre. If one prefers more jazz, there are establishments along the Singapore River. For the more active, the East Coast Park, which offers a range of outdoor activities, beckons.
And once plans to upgrade and beautify Singapore's canals, rivers and other water sites are completed, there will be even more places for recreation or simply to unwind. Add to this all the other initaitives and a very different Singapore is primed to emerge. If world class (and world-beating) infrastructure gave Singaporeans the opportunity to grow the national wealth, enhancements to the country's built-resources should in turn better their quality of life.
But what is important to appreciate is that these improvements are parallel with developments in the economy. It is precisely because Singapore is raising value-added in services and manufacturing, building new industries and testing new frontiers in business that complementary opportunities are emerging to better the life that is lived outside the office and factory. Singapore is developing more of the flavour of the top-tier cities because its economy is upgrading to match the sophistication of those at the high end of the First World. This is in the natural order of things.
To sustain it, Singapore must ensure that it remains one of the most open and globalized economies in the world. The fact is, keeping Singapore competitive in such a way is key to its ever-improvng quality of life. And this, in turn, makes the country even more attractive to foreign investors, and attract mobile talents to come work here, and even better, sink their roots here. This is the virtuous circle that is an intrinsic part of the Singapore advantage. It's an edge that should sustain the country's momentum forward and upwards.
