The garment industry is now permanently in China, and Japan, is not what it used to be. It’s so bad in Japan right now that Japan Airlines, the country’s national flag carrier, was forced into bankruptcy. Few believed that this day would come, but Japan Airlines could not change its business model enough and so a radical change must be forced upon it in bankruptcy court.
So couldn’t now be the time when we really need to try a few things, when we are hitting rock bottom, and all everyone has time for is to plan how to cut costs, terminate employees, or migrate?
When I came across an article from the Associated Press, I thought of sharing it because it shows how a nation as strict, disciplined, and serious as Singapore recognized that even if it was a first world country, it had to make changes. It realized that the future was tourism and that many tourists, particularly the Chinese, enjoyed gaming. So as difficult as it was for them to make a 180 degree turn (you couldn’t even chew gum on the streets ), they implemented some strict laws to minimize its impact but went on and attracted two of the biggest casino companies in the world to sink billions into Singapore.
Again, the point is not to legalize casinos per se, it is to look at all our own taboos and laws that restrict our development with some practicality, and improvise to suit our local requirements. As I have said before, what’s the difference really between a 55-year lease, and a 99-year lease? What’s the difference between poker halls and a casino targeting tourists? What’s there to fear in CUC’s privatization as long as it is given to a reputable large company in an open manner where there are clear deliverables and local training and employment?
In short, while we have all the potential in the world to be the next Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Maui, you name it, we need to be open to trying out new things before we have no choices left on the table.
RICKY DELGADO
ITE President
