What Rwandans can learn from Singapore

Editor, Refer to the story; ‘‘Singapore enters mourning, world leaders praise Lee Kuan Yew’’, published in The New Times on Monday March 23 While I am a believer of the strength of institutions beyond the strength of a person, I today understand that building such institutions requires time and consistency over generation. Lee Kuan Yew stayed over 30 years, now look where Singapore is. Does Singapore have weaker institutions? No. Why? Because Lee Kuan Yew spent years consolidating his country and making it the pearl of Asia and what it is today. Do we think that President Paul Kagame worked to strengthen this country? Yes. Is the task done to the point of self-sustainability? Not yet. Is he to blame? No, he outperformed himself! What do we need for the next 10-15years? A committed leader who will maintain discipline and growth in Rwanda until this generation (I call our generation a hazardous, weird genocide surviving and witnessing generation) is over. Are there other capable Rwandans for that? Surely yes. Do we want to try finding them? Well since the cost of that experiment is too high (to let and individual in office and after years realise that he is not?), I would say: we should not even try SINCE we have A PROVEN TESTED MUSTER who is still CAPABLE. Should we change the constitution to allow Kagame to stay on? – yes, of course, the constitution should stay as a safeguard if we have a leader that is not capable. Gill ********************* Lee Kuan Yew is a world hero. African leaders can learn many things from him but one thing goes beyond; meritocracy in management of public affairs and zero tolerance for corruption and promoting excellence in everything including social life. We need full control of our countries’ destiny, we don’t need hopeless democracy made in the west when our people do not have water leave alone food and many other basic human needs. I wish to see our own Paul Kagame getting us further ahead in terms of development, building on the foundation he has already built. Peter

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What Rwandans can learn from Singapore