DRUG CONNECTION

CHICAGO - Wisely, the Tribune assigned Senior Writer R.C. Longworth to
interview recent Singapore visitor Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
(Perspective, Sept. 21). Mr. Longworth's informative and insightful
articles on global affairs, including Southeast Asia, have been much
appreciated. His pointed questions in the "On The Record" interview
elicited interesting thoughts concerning Goh's political philosophy.

It is unfortunate, however, that Mr. Longworth did not question Prime
Minister Goh about Singapore's involvement in the drug trade. Last
February, Robert Gelbard, at that time the U.S. assistant secretary of
state for international narcotics affairs, stated that, "Over half of the
investment in Burma from Singapore has been tied to the family of
narco-trafficker Lo Hsing Han." Australian television has tied Singapore's
Government Investment Corp. to companies owned by Lo, who over the years
has been regarded as Burma's No.1 drug lord by Southeast Asia drug
watchers. Chairman of the Government Investment Corp. is Goh's role model
and former longtime Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew.

Chicagoans should know that 60 percent of the heroin sold on the streets of
U.S. cities comes from Burma, according to the U.S. State Department.
And Singapore should be worried since, in spite of draconian drug laws,
they have a drug use rate 12 percent higher than the U.S., says the Wall
Street Journal.

Don Erickson
Burma Project Synapses