[oyymoss]

EDITOR’S NOTE: In this short write-up on the Norwegian Pension Fund, I shall use the transparent nature in which it is managed to prove a point that the government’s repeated explanation that Singapore’s SWFs must operate behind a cloak of secrecy in order to protect its investments are both irrational and lame.

Background

Norway, one of the world’s largest petroleum exporters, has invested its oil wealth in a fund with a current market value of more than $350 billion.

This fund known as “The Government Pension Fund” was established in 2006 and consists of two parts: “The Government Pension Fund - Global”, which is a continuation of the Petroleum Fund, and “The Government Pension Fund - Norway”, which was previously known as the National Insurance Scheme Fund.

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As we can see from the example of the Norwegian Pension Fund which manages assets greater than both Temasek and GIC combined, it is possible to generate a commendable return on its investment while adopting good practices of transparency and accountability in the management of the fund.

Political leaders are not involved in the management of the funds which lie in the hands of professional fund managers. A system of check and balance is put in place to ensure the funds are not misused and investment decisions are made in accordance with the guidelines.'

Read full article here:

http://wayangparty.com/?p=4773