Sorry, Madonna, It’s No Go in Singapore : PACIFIC PARAMETERS

A sampling of commentary from around the Pacific Rim:

* Singapore “The GATT trade pact fills a void created by the retreat of politics as the main business of nation states. From now on, those countries which organize brain power and capital best will be the new power centers.”

--The Straits Times, noting that political ideals are out as fomenters of revolution; now it’s “jobs, jobs, jobs.”

“Whether we should allow Michael Jackson or Madonna to perform in our cities is for us to decide. We should set the boundaries of what is permissible and what is not. . . . South Korea did not admit Michael Jackson on his recent tour to Asia. Singapore is not likely to allow Madonna in unless she puts on a different show.”

--Brig. Gen. George Yeo, minister of information and the arts, in the Straits Times.

* Philippines “Developed countries which demand that labor-abundant countries open their financial-service sectors should reciprocate by opening their economies to cheap labor.”

--Manila Chronicle, arguing that the next GATT round should deal with labor issues.

* Australia “The Bill Clinton view of the late 20th Century, that free trade not only equals jobs but global security, finds its inevitable conclusion in wrapping up Uruguay (Round of GATT talks). . . . The policy wonk who engineered a NAFTA deal, then made the most of APEC optics, is on a trade wave.”

--Helen Trinca in the Australian, Sydney.

“The demon prince of Hollywood, Jack Valenti . . . will now have to fall back on Plan B--which will be to ensure that the whole foreign quota (of films) will be filled by the U.S. while Australian and other small producers will be completely excluded from European markets.”

--Padraic P. McGuinness in th e Australian, on the U.S. failure to have films and television included in GATT pact.

* New Zealand “Eventually, the French film industry will get the message now tacked to the farm gate. Guaranteed income and little competition play havoc with quality, efficiency and innovation.

--The New Zealand Herald, Auckland, on the GATT talks, noting that the New Zealand/Australian film “The Piano” was financed with French money.