Yes, Dr Goh did warn about Singapore’s dependence on FTs for growth way back in 1972. At the time, he was speaking in his personal capacity at a symposium.
He had previously discussed and sought the advice of his adviser, Dr Albert Winsemius. Their views were similar. So, Dr Goh felt that it was his duty as a Minister to air his views as a common citizen.
He warned that if Singapore was too obsessed with the rapid growth, this would result in a state where it would be out of control (not sustainable and probably irreversible).
Dr Goh asked then, “To be precise, at what point should we stop importing foreign workers and cease to encourage foreign entrepreneurs and capital to come into Singapore?”
“Because of our limited land area, industrial expansion together with population expansion that goes with it, will produce overcrowding to increasingly uncomfortable limits,” he added.
How prescient Dr Goh was in his prediction back in 1972. Some 40 years later, Singapore is exactly in the situation Dr Goh has described – “overcrowding to increasingly uncomfortable limits”.
In fact, it’s even worse than what Dr Goh predicted. He did not factor in the social issues that come with overcrowding and...http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/01/08/dr-goh-did-warn-about-dependence-on-fts-for-growth/
He had previously discussed and sought the advice of his adviser, Dr Albert Winsemius. Their views were similar. So, Dr Goh felt that it was his duty as a Minister to air his views as a common citizen.
He warned that if Singapore was too obsessed with the rapid growth, this would result in a state where it would be out of control (not sustainable and probably irreversible).
Dr Goh asked then, “To be precise, at what point should we stop importing foreign workers and cease to encourage foreign entrepreneurs and capital to come into Singapore?”
“Because of our limited land area, industrial expansion together with population expansion that goes with it, will produce overcrowding to increasingly uncomfortable limits,” he added.
How prescient Dr Goh was in his prediction back in 1972. Some 40 years later, Singapore is exactly in the situation Dr Goh has described – “overcrowding to increasingly uncomfortable limits”.
In fact, it’s even worse than what Dr Goh predicted. He did not factor in the social issues that come with overcrowding and...http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/01/08/dr-goh-did-warn-about-dependence-on-fts-for-growth/
