After the fervour of the crowds awaiting Pope Francis in East Timor, the pontiff’s arrival in Singapore on Wednesday 11 September seemed a little cold. East Timor is certainly a special case, its population being 97% Catholic, but even during the first two stages of the papal trip, in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, where Catholics are in the minority, thousands of believers flocked to the places near the Pope’s visit. Nothing of the sort in Singapore, a city-state as rich as it is authoritarian. When he left the airport, 1,000 faithful were allowed to cheer him on. Not one more: in Singapore we like round bills.
After visiting three developing countries, the last stop in Singapore, one of the richest countries in the world, may come as a surprise. But the one left off this list shares its ethnic and religious diversity with the others. In addition, its geographical position makes it an important center of the geopolitical issues that move the region: Singapore, with 5.9 million inhabitants, is one of the largest commercial ports on the planet, a global financial center and a meeting place between American (American soldiers are stationed there) and Chinese influences. Seventy-five percent of the population is of Chinese origin and the country maintains close economic ties with Beijing.
On Thursday, September 12, the Argentine Pope repeatedly celebrated the success of the city-state, citing “ The forest of ultra-modern skyscrapers that seem to emerge from the sea clearly demonstrate the human ingenuity, the dynamism of Singaporean society and the entrepreneurial acumen that have found fertile ground for expression here.. One way to put greater emphasis on the men and women to whom we owe these successes came a few hours later, during a Mass celebrated before 50,000 faithful at the National Stadium. The Pope also mentioned the efforts of the State in favour of social justice, citing the public housing system, which benefits 77.8% of residents, and the efficient health system.
Generally unkind to the financial world, Pope Francis has not played his central role in Asian finance vis-a-vis Singapore, with a notorious indulgence in money laundering. However, he has suggested that authorities improve the treatment of those excluded from economic growth, particularly migrant workers, “Who should be guaranteed a fair wage”. Migrant workers from neighbouring countries supply factories, construction sites and care for middle-class families, for pittance wages: 645 Singapore dollars (448 euros) per month on average for domestic workers.
You have 43.07% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
