Ex SG envoy: We may have gone overboard in FTAs

[Confuseous]

"We may have gone overboard with supporting preferential trading agreements, or free trade agreements (FTAs).

A lot of FTAs are only good for winning people kudos...a lot of these agreements reached in SEA region give you a feel-good impression but the actual trade-enhancing benefits are actually quite minimal...it looks good for the govt signing the agreement , the bureaucrat doing the work.

It may have the benefit of improving the relationship between the parties, but it doesn't mean you are actually going to bring significant trade benefits."

- Barry Desker, interview with ST 8th November

 

[laksaboy]

Most of these asymmetric FTAs were signed when Lee Hsien Loong was the PM.

Who is the enemy and the cause of all the troubles? You be the judge.

 

[hofmann]

you must be the almighty Judge Dredd.

 

[hofmann]

robin, you really should stop talking to yourself. i'm going to tell Alfred to keep the keys to the batcave - if you keep this up.

 

[pointshoar]

Your voice is kinda different so are you the real Bruce ?

 

[Ambulance]

halo um si flee job agleement meh

 

[parrardee]

Oops we did it again but never mind lets move on.

 

[Confuseous]

Most of these asymmetric FTAs were signed when Lee Hsien Loong was the PM.

Who is the enemy and the cause of all the troubles? You be the judge.

Let's see if someone will come out and defend this in the Shitty Times tomorrow.

 

[syed putra]

These fta's turned Singapore into a re-packaging hub. Since certain imports into ASEAN may incur tarrif s or restrictions, the manufacturers can use sinkie as a distribution into ASEAN using made in sinkie lable. This trade is also reversible. So who says its not profitable.

 

[frenchbriefs]

Give this man a tiger!!!

 

[steffychun]

Wonder what PAP will say? Desker is a good friend of theirs.

 

[danielsim]

We know what to do come 2016

 

[ginfreely]

Most of these asymmetric FTAs were signed when Lee Hsien Loong was the PM.

Who is the enemy and the cause of all the troubles? You be the judge.

All the bad things happened under his leadership from massive investment losses to immigration flood to FTA. Everything.

 

[spotter542]

We know what to do come 2016

Sad to say , the 60.14% are not :(

 

[mojito]

Years later when Loong is 80 and retired, he will be sipping cocktail at a Swiss resort laughing with his globalist friends about how the hapless sg government cannot get out of those lousy ftas signed during his time on the helm.

 

[frenchbriefs]

Years later when Loong is 80 and retired, he will be sipping cocktail at a Swiss resort laughing with his globalist friends about how the hapless sg government cannot get out of those lousy ftas signed during his time on the helm.

that is admitting bad governance.....this clown is not self aware enough to admit he did anything wrong during his time

 

[hofmann]

Years later when Loong is 80 and retired, he will be sipping cocktail at a Swiss resort laughing with his globalist friends about how the hapless sg government cannot get out of those lousy ftas signed during his time on the helm.

eagle eyes will spot the lobang and pull a rabbit out of her ass. no agreement is 100% watertight. too many variables to (un)cover.

 

[hofmann]

Your voice is kinda different so are you the real Bruce ?

I AM THE VOICE of every man... shhhh....

 

[shittypore]

Pinky reminds me of tis Rich Kid we had in school, goes around boasting his Family's
wealth. We poor Kid's just listen to his bullshit and in returned he has to buy us drinks.
This carried on till we left school, last I heard of him he died of Cancer and none of
us visited his wake.

 

[frenchbriefs]

Pinky reminds me of tis Rich Kid we had in school, goes around boasting his Family's
wealth. We poor Kid's just listen to his bullshit and in returned he has to buy us drinks.
This carried on till we left school, last I heard of him he died of Cancer and none of
us visited his wake.

why does it feel like Pinky is the rich kid thats making us buy him drinks and lunch everyday,and if we dont he get his kar kias to hamtam us after school.and u still have to listen to his bullshit about him and how great his ah pa is and call him big brother.in english and in chinese.in ah tiong land,if the ah tiong force u to call him (Da Ge)big brother,that means ur his bitch.

and if u try to report him,no one believes u(international media) because hes the rich kid and hes father is the boss of the country and goes around tell other countries what to do ,and the teachers are afraid to do anything that might jeopardise their career and they might end up driving taxi.but it doesnt matter anyway they are so in love and enamored with the big boss they wont believe anything u say,