against all odds

"The obsession with the survival of ROS can only be understood if citizen bears in mind certain basic facts about the is-land."

1. We are a "little red dot" populated with 4.4 million within a n area of 699 square km.Though she is too small to change the world view, instead, her sons and daughters must adapt as the world changes for the better or worse.

2. We are a multi-religious and multi-racial society, who can draw strength from diversities which are also our natural fault lines. Be spiritual minded to defeat the religious fever of extremities within is the only remedy here, in facing the daily challenge of nurturing a nation out of one diverse society. Think of humanity, not about racial, religions, or cultures.

3. We have no natural resources to feed all of us equally, for only 1.5 percent of her land (10.4 square km) is use for agriculture ( e.g., farms and vegetable fields), thus she imports most of her basic necessities, example, water (from Malaysia),food and fuel.

4. We have no hinterland: with a very small domestic market, she needs to export the goods and services (GSTax is needed)we produce, and her economy is dependent on trade with the highest trade to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ration in the world ( the ratio was 368% in year 2005).

5. We are an open society and international hub because today's globalised environment has presented her with many challenges as well as opportunities to grow from glory to glory. May God bless His people who in turn bless her people with agape love. As one small cosmopolitan city-state closely connected with the outside world , www(worldwideweb), her children are thus exposed to the vagaries of external developments, whether they like it or not. Survive they must, all on their own , and against all odds.

She is a creation of several diaspora, of immigrants who arrived here in search of a better life tha they enjoyed/suffered at homeland. Some returned home after making a living here, others found life in this country and made it home. Today, she continues to be a vibrant magnet of opportunity to outsiders, but her sons and daughters attracted by opportunities, are working and living elsewhere. Some will return; others will not. Whatever their choice, they are invaluable. Thanks for the contributions in her healthy wealth development.

"My mom instilled in me the value that no matter what you become, no matter how successful you are, you must always, always remember where you come from. Because that's where people relate to you most." - (Ashley Isham, is based in London, where he runs his flagship store Ashley's on London's high fashion Conduit Street. Every Sunday he spends four hours on the phone with his mum and enjoys making trips back to ROS. He still maintains a strong bond with ROS.