Why Albert Winsemius' legacy matters

Few people would be aware of a Dutch connection in Singapore's economic success. Quietly unassuming and shunning publicity, Dr Albert Winsemius deserves more recognition for his contributions to Singapore. He was a Dutch policymaker, businessman and economic adviser who first arrived on a 1960 United Nations mission to advise Singapore on its future industrialisation programme. He used selected components of development theories and models, devised a customised strategy based on pragmatism, and finally used a combination of all.

In this commentary, Prof Euston Quah, the Albert Winsemius Chair Professor of Economics and director of the Economic Growth Centre at NTU, highlighted six important ways Dr Winsemius helped developed Singapore: export-oriented growth, improving labour relations, the need for a stable political climate, investing in education, building Singapore as a trade hub, and maintaining environmental sustainability.

Read the article here. 

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Photo: Julien de Salaberry on Unsplash