PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong wants to build up a pool of young
grassroots leaders to better serve a changing community.
Speaking at a grand dinner to celebrate the 50th anniversary of
the People's Association (PA), Mr Lee reminded 5,000 grassroots
leaders of the need to bring in new members and steadily hand over
leadership positions to a younger generation.
'It is not always easy for senior grassroots leaders who have
spent many years building up their teams and looking after their
residents and areas to let go,' he said on Saturday night. 'But all
of us are serving the people, and timely self-renewal will make
sure that the people get the leadership and service which they
deserve,' he added.
The PA has been on a search for young professionals to join its
ranks since new rules from 2003 required grassroots leaders to step
down at the age of 65. It has not done too badly on this count:
Slightly over one in six - 5,300 - of the 30,000 grassroots leaders
are aged 35 and below. And 1,500 of the 4,000 new grassroots
leaders recruited last year fell into this category.
Mr Lee admitted that it was a challenge drawing in young
professionals who lead hectic lives, but noted that many
constituencies had succeeded by organising activities to entice
them first to take part and then volunteer. In his speech, Mr Lee
outlined how the grassroots network played a critical role in
Singapore's history and paid tribute to its many volunteers for
their efforts.
The PA's activities, he added, are directed at two strategic
objectives: to strengthen the link between the Government and the
people, and to build strong communities all over Singapore.
-- ST