THE AUSPICIOUS YEAR of the Dragon invariably sees a spike in the number of babies born. And what do most parents want for their children? Many have high hopes for their children when it comes to careers and life choices. But ultimately, most hope their children will have better lives than they did. That is, of course, a foggy concept as a better life means different things to different people. To some, it’s a university degree; to others, it’s attaining Singapore’s five Cs (cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club).

ONE OF MY favourite images of Singapore is the view of the CBD skyline as you head towards the city from the airport along the East Coast Parkway. The view is especially nice in the evenings when the buildings are lit up by an orange sky. In the three-plus years that I’ve been abroad, however, the landscape has changed dramatically. The old-timers of Shenton Way are now dwarfed by the gargantuan Marina Bay Sands casino and a bevy of new structures flanking it.

The widening gap between the rich and poor is beginning to stymie social mobility. Singapore needs to ensure not only that incomes rise, but that the lowest earners have a chance to climb to the top.