Albert Winsemius

In 1960, Winsemius led the United Nations Expanded Programme for Technical Assistance (EPTA) team{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/undppublicserv/docs/booklet_undp-sg50-winsemius_digital|title=UNDP and the Making of Singapore's Public Service - Lessons from Albert Winsemius|publisher=}} to examine Singapore's potential in industrialisation. Singapore had just attained self-government and was facing high unemployment and a growing population. Winsemius presented a ten-year development plan to transform Singapore from an entrepot trading port to a centre of manufacturing and industrialisation.

Winsemius's first emphasis was on creating jobs and attracting foreign investment. Labour-intensive industries, such as the production of shirts and pyjamas, were expanded. He also encouraged the large-scale public housing programme since he believed that it would bolster the country's image, which would attract foreign investors.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

One of his earliest pieces of advice was not to remove the statue of Stamford Raffles, as it was a symbol of public acceptance of Singapore's British heritage and could alleviate concerns that investors have towards a new socialist government. With Winsemius's help, Singapore attracted large oil companies such as Shell and Esso to establish refineries there.

During his term as Chief Economic Adviser between 1961 and 1984, Winsemius worked closely with Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and key members of Lee's government such as Goh Keng Swee and Hon Sui Sen. Later, Winesimus also had a close partnership with Goh Chok Tong, Lee's successor as Prime Minister.Murphy, C.N. 2006, The United Nations Development Programme: A Better Way? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.102 He visited Singapore two or three times a year to review economic performance indicators and to discuss macro-economic strategy with government planners.{{cite web|last1=Chua|first1=Lee Hoong|title=Death of Dr Albert Winsemius|url=http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/lifeline/win3.html|access-date=9 January 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220050948/http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/lifeline/win3.html|archive-date=20 February 2015}}

In the 1970s, Singapore was upgrading its industrial capacity to use higher technological methods, including electronics. Winsemius personally went to persuade large Dutch electronics companies such as Philips to set up production plants in Singapore. He also proposed for Singapore to be developed as a financial centre, as well as an international centre for air traffic and sea transport. Over the next twenty years, those predictions proved to be accurate.

In 1983, Winsemius retired from his position as Singapore's economic adviser at the age of 74. He said, "I leave with a saddened heart. It (Singapore) has become part of my life, more or less. It can do without me. It could do without me years ago. But it became part of my life. So I will shed a few tears, imaginary tears."

Winsemius died of pneumonia in the Netherlands on 4 December 1996.{{cite web|last1=Tan|first1=Rachel|title=Proven wrong – by a fish|url=http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/lifeline/win1.html|access-date=9 January 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107050927/http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/lifeline/win1.html|archive-date=7 January 2014}} In a letter of condolences to his family, Lee Kuan Yew wrote, "It was Singapore's good fortune that he [Winsemius] took a deep and personal interest in Singapore's development. Singapore and I personally are indebted to him for the time, energy and development he gave to Singapore. I am proud to have known him and to have been his friend."

When asked about his life as an economist, Winsemius once said, "There is quite a lot of satisfaction, perhaps not like that of, say, an architect who can look at something and say, 'I made it'. But there is that satisfaction in knowing that you have contributed to the well being of people you don't know...."{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

Winsemius married Aly Schreiber. They had a son, two daughters and eight grandchildren.

Winsemius' son, Pieter Winsemius, served as Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment in the Dutch government from 1982 to 1986.{{cite web|title=SDWA and NUSDeltares receive Winsemius Awards|url=http://news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/8868-sdwa-and-nusdeltares-receive-winsemius-awards|website=NUS News|publisher=National University of Singapore.|access-date=4 June 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023095841/http://news.nus.edu.sg/highlights/8868-sdwa-and-nusdeltares-receive-winsemius-awards|archive-date=23 October 2015}}

Winsemius was a good friend of Singaporean politician Devan Nair, and kept a poem composed by Nair titled "The Yangtze's Voyage Through History" framed in his study.{{Cite book |last=Lee |first=Wei Ling |authorlink=Lee Wei Ling |title=A Hakka Woman's Singapore |publisher=Straits Times Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-981-4642-47-7 |edition=1st |pages=120-121 |language=en}}

In 1997, Nanyang Technological University established the Albert Winsemius Professorship as a lasting tribute to Winsemius for his significant contributions to Singapore's economic development.{{Cite web|url=http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/CorpComms2/releases/26%20Jul%2005%20Factsheet_Albert%20Winsemius.pdf|title=Fact Sheet on the Albert Winsemius Professorship}}

For his contributions to Singapore's economic development,{{cite web|last1=Tamboer|first1=Kees|title=Albert Winsemius, 'founding father' of Singapore|url=http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/iiasn9/soueasia/winsemiu.html|access-date=9 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402001243/http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/iiasn9/soueasia/winsemiu.html|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}} Winsemius was conferred several honours. In 1967, Yusof Ishak, the first President of Singapore, awarded him the Distinguished Service Medal. In 1970, he was conferred an honorary degree by the National University of Singapore. In 1976, he received the National Trades Union Congress' May Day Gold Medal of Honour.{{cite web|title=Singapore's trusted guide |url=http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/lifeline/win2.html |access-date=9 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205191315/http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/dream/lifeline/win2.html |archive-date=5 December 2014 }}

There is a lane in Clementi named after him.{{cite web|url=http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/capacity-development/English/Singapore%20Centre/Booklet_UNDP-SG50-Winsemius.pdf|title=UNDP Singapore, 2015, UNDP and the making of Singapore's Public Service, Singapore: UNDP Singapore|publisher=}}

• Economy of Singapore

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{{cite book | last = Leipziger | first = Danny | title = Lessons from East Asia | publisher = University of Michigan Press | location = Ann Arbor | year = 1997 | isbn = 0-472-08722-3 |page=240}}

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• [http://www.ntu.edu.sg/corpcomms2/releases/26%20Jul%2005%20Factsheet_Albert%20Winsemius.pdf Fact Sheet on the Albert Winsemius Professorship] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306043249/http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/corpcomms2/releases/26%20Jul%2005%20Factsheet_Albert%20Winsemius.pdf |date=2016-03-06 }}

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Category:1910 births

Category:1996 deaths

Category:20th-century Dutch economists

Category:People from Leeuwarden

Category:Economic history of Singapore

Category:Erasmus University Rotterdam alumni