Professor Sarah Harper advised Singapore not to make the mistake of Europe and cast out the experience of its older workforce as a method of coping with the upcoming global recession. In a speech echoing this advice Singapore's Prime Minister agreed that Singapore would need its older experienced workers if it was to ride the economic challenges ahead. The Singapore Straits Times also quoted the Minister for Ageing Populations who stressed the need for education and retraining across workers' lives as a means of enjoying the full potential of older workers.