let's get into the first world league

Our politicians have no problem standing shoulder to shoulder with other world leaders. They are the envy of others and everyone will look up to them as they are worth every ounce in gold. Can't say this of our corporate hotshots. Our corporate leaders are very under paid compare to the Americans and other MNCs. The top notch Americans are all in the hundreds of millions league. That may be the reason why we can't find one to fill the shoe in Singtel. For the salary we are paying the Singtel top man or woman, we can at best find one probably considered fourth or fifth grade in the American corporate world. What Singapore should do is to pay all our corporate honchos as high as the Americans. Then we can boast to the world that our corporate top notch executives are in the same class as the Americans. Then also we will be able to pay for top grade Americans to head our local companies. That is the way to go in a globalised world. We cannot compete with the world if our corporate leaders are being paid pittance. They will not be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the real American hotshots as their pay will tell that they are not good enough. We want to be in the first league we have to pay the way there.

of prata and coo coo bags

I read somewhere in an article yesterday about this sweaty lady lugging a prata bag in the MRT. The commentator was not amused. A prata in the MRT was just not the right thing. A prata belongs to the better breed and better heeled variety of the female specimen. In his/her view, it is unspeakable for anyone to carry a prata and swinging in a train. So unrefined and compromising on the status of the bag. A prata must be associated with all the other good things in life, chauffered and other fineries to match. How about a Ma Sha Chi( the Hongkie pronounciation) belt to go with it. Pretenders who think it is cool to carry prata or coocoo bags, or eler vee bag should really reconsider whether they fit into the image of the upper class of fine ladies. In that level up there, all the person's worth and wealth are hanged outside for everyone to see. There is nothing pretentious when a piece of reptile skin, nicely folded to carry under the armpit would fetch $28k, and there is a long waiting list for it. Then there is another type who would wear a black rubber band watch and in cotton shirts, probably made in Thailand or some third world manufacturers, but still patronised theatres and concerts. To this group, they don't hang anything of value on them. Whatever are their worths, it is all kept hidden, either inside their heads or in between their legs. There are actually two different worlds up there, detached and unknown to the MRT prata and coo coo bag carriers.

singtel has a local ceo

Nicholas Yeo, Asian equities investment manager at Aberdeen Asset Management said, "I'm not sure if the market was expecting them to bring in someone from the outside who would be more aggressive, but she is a natural choice in terms of her knowledge of the company. It would not be as difficult for her as it would have been for an outsider," Suddenly everyone realised that the best candidate available and with a wealth of experience was someone within. Luckily they did not throw another tens of millions for an expensive foreign dud. The problem with Chua Sock Koon is that her salary is not high enough. They need to raise her salary to $10 million at least. Then it will be decisions from a $10 million calibre CEO. That will give her more weight. But still a lightweight compare to the $200 million Americans. How about making her a heavyweight and pay her $100 million. She will then have a louder voice in the international arena and can get into Forbes top 100 most powerful woman also. The quality of a person is measured by the amount of salary he/she commands.

gifted programme that was not to be

The Gifted Programme or GEP came to an end today with poor enrolment and competition from better alternative programmes. The much hype programme for gifted children, in my view, fell too far short of its namesake. Where are the results of gifted personalities that were churned out from the programme except for some straight As which other schools are producing in great numbers. One would expect something of an Einstein, a renowned musician, a mathematician, someone who discovers why man can walk on air or a 12 year old professor. The programme produced none of these. Might as well. Maybe we need to grow our population to 8 million and with more foreign talent seeds, then we can revive a more gifted programme with double the chances of producing some genius.

imf-world bank and the little red dot

The Little Red Dot has done it again. It is a coup of another kind over the last 10 days. No litters, no smoking, no chewing gums, and yes, no public and violent demonstration. We have uniformed men all over Suntec City, just like the Thais have their uniformed soldiers all over Bangkok. Both were there to keep the peace, albeit of a different kind. For once, the IMF-World Bank Meeting had gone without a hitch, without demonstrators pushing and fighting with the police. A bloodless coup. And this is Singapore. We have told the world that there can be discussions and exchanges of views in a civil and orderly manner, and getting the points across. Would this brand of protestorless and bloodless Meetings be continued into the future? If it does, then Singapore would have taught the world a lesson, the Singapore way of doing things. There were a little edginess initially. And the strongest or loudest protest came not from the CSOs but from the President of the World Bank himself, Paul Wolfowitz. But I think deep down inside him he was a happy man with Singapore taking the blame for a peaceful and sensible international Meeting here. And so were all the delegates despite the little utterings of how artificial the zoo was. So clean, so free and so safe. And all the food being serve on a silver platter. The Little Red Dot called the shot and set the agenda on how the Meeting should be conducted. And the world is pleased.