But Ms Kalai Natarajan had solid credentials, previously a director at Oglivy Public Relations Worldwide, and had been in the marketing communications and public relations business for no less than 18 years. Prior to Oglivy PR, she was Assistant Vice-President of Sales & Marketing for MediaCorp's TV12 and Head of Global Media Relations for Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts. At SMRT, she was overseeing three departments with a staff of 50: corporate communications, marketing and media and passenger service.
So when she resigned after only 5 months on the job, without having to serve the obligatory 3 months notice period for senior management, and without another appointment lined up, tongues were wagging like the hanging power cables of a SMRT train mishap.
An HR expert speculated that there may have been a “cultural misfit” if senior management staff were “not on the same wavelength”. Or same battle dress uniform, since quite a few of the senior management new hires were former SAF personnel, mostly retired or close to retirement age, imported by Lieutenant General (NS) Desmond Kuek. Forced to choose between a little black dress or green army fatigues, the smart lady decided to fall out.
Her replacement has practically zero PR experience. Patrick Nathan, 51, had joined SMRT in 2011 as director for Security Operations and Readiness. Prior to that, he was at the National Security Coordination Centre (NSCC) shuffling papers on esoteric topics like policy, risk assessment and corporate communication. He has the one important qualification that matters to Kuek though. Nathan is a former career army officer who was with the Ministry of Defence for 24 years and 9 months. Officially he joined the SAF in 1979, promoted to colonel in 2004 and seconded to the NSC as deputy director until he "retired" in 2006. Old soldiers don't just fade away in Singapore, they are put out to pasture at SMRT.
You know what they say about Mussolini, at least Il Duce ("the leader") made the trains run on time. Unfortunately for us, the general in charge of Singapore just excused himself, "the trains will take a bit longer (new signalling, new lines, more rolling stock, etc)... that will take a few more years, 2015, 2016, but we are making a lot, as much haste as we possibly can." Sigh, there are generals and there are generals.
Posts
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/26/business/international/crowded-singapore-looks-below-for-room-to-grow.html?_r=1&
ReplyDeleteAt least they are still pretending to welcome Democracy by inviting ASSK icon as long as they don't have to actually do the deeds. It's like the renaissance faire of postwar poitics, re-enacting when regimes cared enough to create elaborate lies about their benevolence, while silently installing Generals and Soldiers everywhere.
I suggest the electorate support ALL the government public bodies to move their offices and buildings underground. We need to bury these wankers before the militiary fascists turn us into a puppet state any further.
They better make sure they solve the once-in-50-years pondings which occur every other year, before they build underground in a big way - otherwise we will all drown like rats. Yes, we should reserve these underground spaces for the highly paid uncivil serpents.
DeleteThese are paper generals.
ReplyDeleteThose who understand liberty and dignity will have difficulty working with soldier boys.
ReplyDeleteNo civilized and enlightened citizenry will want a military regime that use arms instead of hearts to look after the people.
patriot
Ah ! Some old soldiers in SIN never die nor do they just fade away. Another illustratious soldier, General D. McArthur would not be amused.
ReplyDeleteFrankly why did they not look to promote from within since SMRT has been around for a few decades unless they are saying none of the current staff are good enough & therefore cannot be trusted to do a good job ?
ReplyDeleteEither that or those appointed commanders prefer their own loyal dogs to do the lording over those who prefer to have an independent mind of their own, same just like the cabinet ?
Let them be the soldiers, so long as the people know that THEIR GUNS WILL NEVER BE USED ON THEM(PEOPLE). BUT ON THE PEOPLES' ENEMY, be they external OR INTERNAL.
ReplyDeleteTHE PEOPLE ARE KINS AND COMPATRIOTS OF THE SOLDIERS THEMSELVES.
patriot
In many non-democratic, despotic, and autocratic regimes in the world, the militarization of the government often occurs. Just flip through your history books and also look at N. Korea.
ReplyDelete"Her replacement has practically zero PR experience ..."
ReplyDeleteI disagree.
He has more than 20 years of crony experience.
Looks like they are bringing in the army ahead of 2016.
ReplyDeleteThe name of the game here is the appearance or veneer of propriety. Aung San Suu Kyi's hope is to get rid of the army personnel in the Constitution. She rightly considered that they have no place in the governance of the country.Here these hacks in green "retire" and then are put in place - a kind of reverse osmosis. Suddenly, it is all clean and proper.
ReplyDeleteIs SMRT now being run like an army ops? Easier for the CEO to run with a motto of "yr duty is to do and die and never to question why". But we don't want a military type of transport system. We are expecting good, comfortable, punctual and cost-effective service.
ReplyDeletePinkie and his fellow scholar generals became general officers without ever fighting a boxing match let alone a war. After you read the following quote from one who had fought a few battles, please help LG Kuek identify which category his newly recruited colonels and generals belong to.
ReplyDelete“There are only four types of officer. First, there are the lazy, stupid ones. Leave them alone, they do no harm…Second, there are the hard- working, intelligent ones. They make excellent staff officers, ensuring that every detail is properly considered. Third, there are the hard- working, stupid ones. These people are a menace and must be fired at once. They create irrelevant work for everybody. Finally, there are the intelligent, lazy ones. They are suited for the highest office.” -
- Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein (1887-1973), arguably the Wehrmacht's best World War II military strategists who was dismissed from service by the Fuhrer in March 1944 due to frequent clashes with him over military strategy
Since Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein (1887-1973) was dismissed;
DeleteHe must be the hard-working and stupid type.
Just like the 60% of Sinkies who voted PAP in GE 2011.
since your favourite LG Kuek and those colonels serving you at SMRT were not dismissed, so we all agree that they are the intelligent ones right? So the 60% who voted for PAP who did not dismiss LG Kuek must not be stupid right? So that means you are stupid for calling the 60% stupid right? haha got cha
DeleteThere are 3 types that are not dismissed:
Deletea) lazy & stupid
b) hardworking & intelligent
c) lazy & intelligent
Since SMRT's troubles continue unabated.
We can rule out intelligence.
Therefore LG Kuek & cronies are the lazy and stupid type of generals.
The ideal type of mouldable clay for PAPigs.
Perhaps they are smarter than we think. Making sure they control the key institutions if there is an internal split.
ReplyDeleteThe Old Man had everything planned.
ReplyDeleteSingaporeans will have to live under his spell for some time yet.
To break the Spell, Singaporeans are left with a LAST AND FINAL CHANCE TO DO IT IN THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION.
IF THAT FAILS, PAP WILL BE ENTRENCHED DEEPER AND FIRMER.
Just my take.
patriot
Singapore's system of Meritocracy is ....
ReplyDeleteMarried-to-cracy
DeletePlutocracy
Amakudari
Nomenklatura
Look at IPOS, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore. It is another "military" organisation. The chief executive is a former general and now he is populating the entire organisation with his former military kakis. No domain knowledge, no problem !
ReplyDelete