RI T3W4-5 Ideas Shaping Governance 2021

Defining Governance•The activityof making collective decisions, a task in which government institutions may not play a leading, or even any, role. In international relations, many issues are resolved by negotiation: governance without government (Heywood, 2007)•The process of decision-making and the processes by which decisions are implemented (or not) … Government is one of the actors in governance. (UN ESCAP)

Ideas Shaping Governance Principles Shaping Governance Having good leadershipAnticipating change and staying relevant PractisingmeritocracyProvidinga stake foreveryone Integrity Being forward-thinking Inclusiveness

Principles of Good Governance•Because of limited resources, the government has to carefully decide on what would benefit the country most•Evaluating the choices means to compare the costs and benefitsof each available alternative decision•Such evaluation are based on principles and these principles are reviewed to ensure they are remain relevant with changing contexts

Having Good Leadership•Having good leadership means having leaders that are honestand not corrupt•Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2020 has ranked Singapore the 3rdleast corrupt country in the world (up from 4thin 2019; Singapore is the only Asian country ranked in the top 10)•Having good leadership also means having leaders that are morally courageous and able to make decisions that may not be popular with the people

Having Good Leadership

•Good governance entails foreseeing the needs of Singapore in future and making necessary plans that will benefit the people of Singapore in future•Some examples are the building of the Integrated Resorts in Singapore and demolishing of Pearls Centre to build Thomson-East Coast Line Anticipating Change and Staying Relevant

•The IRs were built as they were expected to boost tourism, generate 45,000 new jobs and attract 10 million visitors by 2015•However, upon realisingthe possible negative effects such as gambling addiction, the government also took necessary precautions such as providing counselling services and setting up the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) to conduct public education and outreach on problem gambling prevention Anticipating Change and Staying Relevant

Anticipating Change and Staying Relevant

•There were various perspectives regarding whether Pearls Centre should have been demolished to build the Thomson-East Coast Line•Some shop owners were against it as their businesses would be affected(loss of income, inconvenience and cost of relocating business to another area ) and were concerned that they would not receive sufficient compensation from authorities•Similarly, some home owners were also against it as their homes held sentimental value to them and they also feared not receiving sufficient compensationfrom the authorities Anticipating Change and Staying Relevant

Anticipating Change and Staying Relevant•However, the government was in favourof demolishing Pearls Centre because the future need of convenience for commuters will benefit a significant number of people •Estimated that about half a million commuters will use this line daily in the initial years and twice that in the long term•This would outweigh the short-term disadvantages of the cost and inconvenience of relocating homes and businesses