ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF SINGAPORE (Colombo Plan Aid)

Mr M. P. D. Nair asked the Chief Minister if he will make a statement explaining the economic and agricultural development of Singapore proposed by Government; and the scope and extent of external aid which it has been promised or is expected to receive financially and materially through the Colombo Plan in pursuit of such developments.

The Chief Minister: If it please you, Mr Speaker, Sir, the broad field of economic and agricultural development of Singapore is at present under consideration by my Economic Adviser and the various Ministries in the light of the report of the International Bank. After the Council of Ministers has considered the recommendations of the Economic Adviser and the Ministries involved, Sir, announcements of policy will be made. That is the first part of the question, Sir.

As regards the second part dealing with the Colombo Plan, Sir, the Member for Seletar (Mr Nair) will be aware of the generous offer by the Australian Government of a milk reconstituted plant valued at (Straits) $700,000.

There is, of course, the question of training facilities, Sir. Over the period 1951 to 1955, there have been 79 students from Singapore who have been awarded scholarships under the Colombo Plan on a variety of subjects, and the question of further scholarships and training will be pursued. In addition, we have the right to apply for experts, and this we have been doing and will continue to do.

For the rest, Sir, I would refer the hon. Member to a reply which I made in this Assembly in answer to a question from the Member for Tanglin (Mr John Ede) on matters of trade and industry - a reply which was reported in the Official Report, Vol. 1, No. 6 of 29th June, 1955; and a further reply to the Member for Seletar, Sir, on Rural Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services, which was reported in the Official Report, Vol. 1, No. 9 of 26th July, 1955.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Will the Chief Minister inform us from where his Government propose to purchase the powdered milk to operate this milk reconstituting plant?

The Chief Minister: I thank the hon. Member, Mr Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to indicate to the Assembly that at the time the plant was offered to the Singapore Government, the Australian Minister for External Affairs, Mr Casey, indicated that there were no ties at all to the offer, and that although Australia did sell powdered milk, there was no question of the Government being tied to the purchase of Australian milk. We were entirely free to obtain our supplies where we thought it was most advantageous.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Will the Chief Minister inform us if there was an offer made of free powdered milk for a few years to operate the plant?