Litter? No - letter from Singapore

I'm in Asia on business, and whilst I was told before I arrived about the approach to litter, (and jaywalking, and general law-abiding behaviour), it didn't really hit home until the drive in from the airport. Wow, is really all I can say.

It contrasts massively with the kind of litter that we experience every day in our own villages. Living near a corner shop in Wrecclesham, I'm appalled at how little some of my fellow residents seem to care about the general wellbeing of our community. I believe that there is a strong link between a level of good manners in all areas of life, and the safety and happiness of our lives.

Without getting on my soapbox too much, it's not that I think that Waverley shouldn't have to clean the streets, collect waste, and recycle, but, it's that I think that the contract of society is broken between state and citizen. And not solely because of the trend towards bigger government. I believe that simply because the state does something, doesn't mean that the rest of society shouldn't.

Anyway, I could go on for a long time about this (email if you'd like to!), but suffice to say that I love Singapore, not least because I can walk down the street... and actually see the street, not just the cornucopia of retail rubbish. (And if you've been to Singapore, you'll know exactly how much retail I'm talking about!)