Spring Cleaning

Spring is finally here. Fragrant and lovely flowers bloom in abundance in the garden. It is sheer delight to witness the beginning of new life everywhere.

A Bearded Iris in its full glory

Gardeners know that in order for plants to grow better, they need to be pruned. Cutting back old, woody branches, removing rotted or diseased sections, pulling out weeds and overgrown grass - there is much to be done with every change of season. It is nature’s way of renewal and rejuvenation.

The growth of a nation is no different. Like a tree, it requires favourable conditions to flourish.

The idealist in me has always thought that practising meritocracy is key to Singapore’s success. We select the best man or woman for the job.

However, as more and more incidents surface, it seems the pendulum has swung over to nepotism or cronyism, that is, who your connections are. Those who are fortunate enough to be born into the right family or married into the family of prestige, or are close friends with the powerful people, get the best jobs.

Although there may be a few instances where the members of a family are all extraordinary talents, it is the exception rather than the norm.

It is a depressing thought that our country, one which has shown so much promise in the past 50 years, may slowly be dragged down by such deadweight. It is time to identify and trim away the rot so that new shoots can grow, healthy and strong.