On 29 July 2001, the Board of Directors met to discuss Senior Director James Gomez's motion to dissolve independent political non-governmental organisation Think Centre. They agreed unanimously that Think Centre would remain and not to dissolve. This decision was further endorsed by the Centre's Management Committee.
Members of the Centre also discussed the possibility of registering Think Centre with the Registry of Societies (ROS), as its present structure under the Registry of Companies and Businesses (RCB) is not able to sustain its work and growing membership. A society will lend a more democratic profile to the Centre. As a business entity, decisions are currently made at the discretion of a non-elected Board of Directors.
The objectives of Think Centre if it is registered a society will remain similar to the present status quo - to create awareness, examine issues related to political development, democracy, rule of law, human rights and civil society, and most importantly, to accommodate a multi-partisan framework that will include any political party.
The move will also be a public education exercise to determine if Singapore's Societies Act is one which is indeed democratic and whether the far reaching powers of the ROS is unhealthy for Singapore's increasing liberalised society.
Think Centre believes that civil society and politics can co-exist, and will facilitate any of its members' political ambitions. Without equivocation, the Centre supports two of its directors, Gomez's and Yaw Shin Leong's entry into politics with the Workers' Party.
However, both Gomez and Yaw have today furnished their resignation as directors of Think Centre so as to concentrate on their party work. The Think Centre team wishes both outgoing directors all the best in their political career. In addition, Gomez and Yaw have shown interest to be part of the upcoming society registration exercise.
