At a recent seminar at the S. Rajaratnam School of International
Studies recently, Rodrigo Rato, the former IMF Managing Director in
Singapore advised Asian economies to increase interest rates in
order to tackle the oil and food crisis that they are facing.
Is it not intriguing that the U.S. Federal Reserve's response to
these very same problems was to LOWER interest rates and PRINT MORE
MONEY to give out to the Banks?
Rodrigo Rato's advise reminds us all of the very same type of
advise and the disastrous impact it had in Argentina and Indonesia,
where in the wake of interest rate hikes instigated by the IMF, the
economies subsequently crashed.
I am sure Singapore has many very experienced economists who can
see the danger of the IMF "advise". Of course, there is that
particular book about the IMF perchant for becoming Economic
Hitmen. I greatly hope we do not follow Rodrigo Rato's advise.
Also, please read the following book review by John
Perkins, ex-IMF man and the other links below:
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/05/08/stories/2007050800780800.htm
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2004/site_packages/econ_hitmen/3148herrhausen.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Perkins