Maurice Lam : « «On ne peut pas copier Singapour» »

vendredi 25 mai 2012

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Maurice Lam : « «On ne peut pas copier Singapour» »

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Gilles RIBOUET | 06/06/2011

● Quel sens donnez-vous à la visite du président singapourien, Sellapan Ramanathan ?

C’est la première fois qu’un président singapourien visite Maurice. C’est la
preuve que la Cité-Etat attend un raffermissement des relations entre les deux pays.

Les dirigeants singapouriens ne perdent pas leur temps en visites amicales.

● Vous-y croyez, vous, au fantasme du «Singapour de l’océan Indien» ?

(rire sonore) Singapour est unique, tout comme Maurice est unique. La position géographique de Singapour est aussi unique. Maurice a un autre cadre géographique, qui n’est pas dénué d’intérêt mais qui est certainement moins avantageux. Il y a des choses dont on peut s’inspirer. Il faut être créatif et ouvert d’esprit pour cela. On ne peut pas copier, je pense, mais peut-être adapter certaines réussites de Singapour au contexte local.

● A quels succès pensez-vous ?

L’administration publique singapourienne est d’une efficacité sans égal. Les citoyens sont des clients de cette administration. Voyez l’état d’esprit.
C’est ainsi qu’on doit penser : en termes de services à des clients et non de fonction publique. La culture du consensus est aussi un élément qui pourrait nous inspirer. A Singapour, gouvernement, secteur privé et syndicats travaillent ensemble. Ici, on est plus dans les clivages ou la confrontation. Ce consensus nourrit aussi l’harmonie raciale, d’autant que la méritocratie y est une réalité.

Par exemple, Shanmugam Jayakumar, d’origine indienne, est le vice-Premier ministre d’un pays à majorité chinoise. Ce n’est pas du calcul : «the guy is good and he delivers.» La mentalité singapourienne ne s’intéresse qu’à ça, et non à la représentativité.

● Le consensus dont vous parlez, on le doit au dirigisme de l’Etat, non ?

Je ne parlerai pas de dirigisme. Singapour est un pays sinisé, en totale opposition avec l’Occident, dans ses valeurs. En Occident, l’individualité est un principe fondamental. A Singapour, le collectif prime sur l’individu. Ce que vous appelez dirigisme correspond plus à une philosophie, à un système de valeurs propres à l’aire sinisée.

Propos recueillis par Gilles RIBOUET

(Lire l’intégralité de l’entretien dans le e-paper)

Commentaires

Par:-Vuvuzella

The magician from the Far East has left our beloved Island, leaving behind words of wisdom in the ears of our illustrious PM. What surprise he has in store from his magician’s hat for ‘Le peple admirabe’ remains to be seen.

Par:-Nasser

Well said Mr Lam. It is time for the Mauritian to think ahead and stop the voting based on 'mo dimoune' Hope the new generation will think deeper on this. Just one example: how come a news reader becomes the Minister of Tourism which is a vital minitry for the Mauritian Economy. I give you the answer; because he became the head of the MBC and he favoured the MSM at that time !! Another example, Mr Richard Duval has not even passed his SC and yet he was a member of parliament. What would you expect from him ????? I let the readers answer this

Par:-lechinois

Ici chaque caste doit avoir son ou ses ministres. Le jour ou Maurice Lam sera elu a Triolet, je dirai que nous pouvons rever du modele singapourien. Mais Mario Lam n'aura meme pas un ticket du MMM ou PTR pour poser sa candidature. Mais d'apres moi y a un long chemin a faire, un tres long chemin.

Par:-Simplet

Cette entrevue est une vraie claque pour nos dirigeants ! Est-ce qu'ils vont pouvoir encaisser comme de vrais démocrates ou faire du Mugabe ou Assad ?

Par:-Irving Henry

@ all commentators Good and useful comments. There's no need to repeat what you have said. Friends and colleagues who work/have worked there, including Mauritians of all communities, find the place so much more amenable for professional development, quality of life, raising a family etc, nothing like the UK (where I live and work), US and parts of Europe. It is interesting to see how a place whose only asset/resource is its human capital/ingenuity can flourish whereas others blessed, or cursed, with natural resources, scale etc are basket cases. As someone of Mauritian who has studied and worked in many countries, I don't think that I would ever invest on a big scale in Mauritius and think that sooner or later the idiocies that bedevil the island will bring it to disaster. I am not sure that Mauritians, or most of them, are aware of how bad things are and that it is better to learn from the misfortune of others rather than experience them personally. Dream on, Mauritians, if you think that we can emulate Singapore without a mental revolution.

Par:-veekay

if we decide to be a mini singapore,then we must do away with favouritism,corruption, incompetence,and ask ministers to do away with the spin doctors surrounding them.only meritocracy should prevail,no casteism,no communalism.Do you think this will happen,never because the ruling politicians will not come in power again.so we better stop dreaming and let us admire the singaporeans.

Par:-Jaycee

We all believe that Singapore success is due to the cultural background of the population which is mainly chinese. This is not totally true. You just read "The man and his ideas" and you will learn that Mr Lee Kwan Yu also had to deal with the same type of problems as ours-low educated population, communism threat ( equivalent to nuisance opposition), lack of resources, need to satisfy the two components of the population for social peace, racial unrest. The difference is that he had a vision and stuck to it. Just imagine his mindset---When he believes in something worthwhile, he will engage all his energy to realise it against ALL ODDS. This is what our leaders must possess. Finally he practised what he said- get the right man at the right place. So Mtius I believe is just paying lip service to the Singapore Dream endlessly. A simple example to get a Building and land use permit to start a business is like waiting for snow in Mauritius and I am well placed to talk about this. RED TAPE, LACK OF INITIATIVE, WORKING TO RULE.

Par:-Un electeur de no 3

I feel so happy to hear something so honest and meaningful from an ancient primary school class mate. We shared our prime infancy at Central Boys' G S in the fifties. We badly need people like you around to clear up our poluted atmosphere. Mon cher ami d'enfance, je te salue. Tu as fait du chemin.

Par:-Alicen

I live in Luxembourg and the services one receives from the State is exemplary. I was in Mauritius recently having to deal with governmental services - it reminded me why Mauritius has not progressed as it should have done in the last 20 years. There is too much ego competition in this place and too much of 'protege mo bane'. It is high time for the people of Mauritius to change their attitudes when voting at the next elections. 'If a guy is good and he delivers' as Maurice Lam says, then he should be favoured for the job. So why was Sithanen discarded again? My ex-boss who is setting up an office in Mauritius was complaining about his recent dealings with the BOI - his own words were: 'I think that Mauritius is becoming incredibly bureaucratic, we are wondering if we made a mistake when we decided to invest there'. I can vouch that it is a pleasure to deal with an efficient government administration - this is why investors prefer Singapore or Luxembourg.

Par:-Lélio Wong

@ Gilles Ribouet. If it is not a copy of part of my predictions, glad to know that I am on the right track ! Thank you Mr. Lam !