More ministers must go on leave

We have sent many delegations overseas to learn from other countries their best practices. We have sent several ministers to Japan to learn how they take care of their seniors. So many ministers have gone on study and education trips and nothing much heard from them after their return, as if nothing was learnt. They must have learnt a lot but may not want to brag about them. There is so much humility in these learning trips for our super talents to be learning from lesser beings. It is abnormal for multi million dollar talents be learning from lesser talents being paid a pittance.

What is more interesting is that Hsien Loong did not go on a study trip to Japan. He was on leave, on holiday. And he learnt something useful for Singapore. He went on a cycling trip on a disused railway track in Kushiro, Japan. So sad that he could not find a good bicycle track to cycle in Singapore. And eureka, something good came out from it, a brilliant idea dawned on him. Our disused railway track can also be converted to a bicycle track for cyclists. See the numerous advantages! For the cycling community, they would finally have a track of their own, safe and very long and exciting. And if they were to line the track with blossoms all the way, it would be an amazing sight for the cyclists.

Imagine cycling for miles and miles of orchids, then hibiscus, and the next change could be cannas, and then lantanas, ixoras, cassias, flame of the forest, maybe tulips and daffodils also.  But be careful on this. Singaporeans have this craving for planting everything in a plot and you will be seeing a jungle of different flowers that you can’t make out what is what, just like the integration of foreigners from all over the world on a piece of rock.

And the cyclists would be safe from the dangers of our narrow roads with bulldozers and fast cars and irritating motorists. Children and grannies can all participate in this spot. And not only for leisure, people can go green by cycling from the North to the South and vice versa, to and from work. What a great idea!

And this idea came practically free, while Hsien Loong is on vacation, paying for everything from his own pocket. I think this is more productive than sending entourages on study and learning missions on Ah Kong’s money.

This gives me another good idea and I hope Hsien Loong also got the same inspiration. No more study and learning trips. Ministers going overseas to learn are unlikely to learn much on official trips. It is the relaxing mood of a vacation that the creative juice will flow and they can learn more. Maybe an incentive is to pay them for any great idea they brought home after a vacation. Those going on overseas cooking trips would definitely have plenty to share and can be rewarded.

What do you think? Should we encourage more ministers to go on leave and be productive?