Friday 25 January 2013
The Netherlands can
learn from the
positive mentality of people living in Singapore,
Dutch foreign minister Frans Timmermans said on Friday, the last
day of an official visit to the Asian country by queen Beatrix and
a trade delegation.
Timmermans told Nos television
he is most
impressed by the 'can do' mentality of the Singaporeans. 'Everyone
you meet has the attitude that there is no such thing as 'can't
do', the minister said.
The Dutch, said Timmermans, often
think in terms of what cannot be done.
Queen Beatrix, crown prince
Willem-Alexander and princess Máxima arrived in Singapore on
Wednesday after a two-day state visit to Brunei.
Timmermans told the broadcaster he
had raised the issue of democracy while in Brunei, which is a
sultanate. 'I made it clear we have different ideas about
democracy, elections and an open society,' he said.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/01/the_netherlands_can_learn_from.php
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-20/singapore-confronts-an-emotion-deficit
