The majority of us, Singaporeans, are not confused. Only a few are confused with obligations under CECA.
Those who are naively confused or deliberately confused are those who tell others not to be confused.
It
is very clear that some of the government rules, regulations,
instructions, directions and policies are closely linked to or in
consideration of the CECA, or deliberately avoided/excluded the CECA,
e.g. the Fair Consideration Framework for hiring and firing.
Please
take note that the Supreme and Ultimate OBLIGATION in any country's
government is to its own citizens, especially their livelihood and
survival. This is to be First and Foremost. No deviation. No question
asked. No doubt whatsoever.
The government's primary
responsibility is to ensure that citizens are gainfully and decently
employed, with dignity, and fairly-well paid according to the standard
and cost of living in that country!
The second-most Supreme and
Unquestionable OBLIGATION of any government is to ensure that foreigners
do not come into the country to deprive its citizens of their jobs, by
replacing them entirely or partially, or by displacing them to lower
jobs, or to other organisations! Foreign talents must support,
supplement or complement the local citizens' jobs and responsibility.
Not to replace or displace them. It is the same as a foreign power
coming in to replace or displace the government. Either instance, the
government is weak and incompetent.
Moreover, there is no such a
thing as "absolute" obligations that have to be obediently obeyed like a
soldier taking orders from his general.
Singapore is a sovereign
and independent country. She is not an appendage or a colony of India.
Her government is not obliged to OBEY any trade agreement strictly to
the letter. An agreement is not an order. Therefore, the government is
naturally, constitutionally, legally and politically expected to
exercise good and independent judgement for the benefit of its citizens
without fear, favour or ill-will. Being afraid to offend the other party
of the agreement, for whatever reasons, is showing fear. If the
government is showing fear to a foreign power, than it is a very weak
and incompetent government.
In addition, there is a clause at the
very end of the CECA documents that it can be terminated by simply
giving a six months notice. No additional clause with tiny letters
added. That means any obligation that is not in favour of, or not in
good faith with, the interests of any group of our citizens, or our
livelihoods, can be terminated, or changed, by giving six months notice.
India,
on the other hand, through and via the legally-weaponised CECA stealthy
long-range missile, is precisely taking responsibility and exercising
her supreme and ultimate OBLIGATION TO HER CITIZENS - to ensure that her
nationals are gainfully and decently employed, with dignity and
well-paying jobs that they cannot get in their own country!
In
conclusion, when talking about OBLIGATIONS to any trade agreement, or
any other agreement with a foreign power, the government's primary,
supreme, unquestionable, ultimate OBLIGATION IS TO ITS CITIZENS FIRST
and FOREMOST!
Think again.
LIPS.