Accra, May 5, GNA - President Jerry John Rawlings on Friday gave the assurance that this year's general elections will be free and fair and said the door is open to genuine international organisations wishing to observe the polls.

However, he said, the state will not tolerate those institutions which have already prejudged the electoral process. "The will of the people must be made to prevail. If it is the NDC or any other party that they want, we will not prevent them," President Rawlings told Mr Foo Kok Swee, Singaporean High Commissioner, who called on him at the Castle, Osu.

Mr Foo is based in Singapore but makes frequent visits to Ghana. The President, who expressed admiration for Singapore's ability to wade through unprecedented economic difficulties to achieve growth, said Ghana would continue to share those experiences in order to improve on the lot of her people.

He said it is unfortunate that the government is being criticised for the current difficulties that the economy is facing although the causes are the low prices of her major export commodities, cocoa and gold, and high cost of crude oil imports.

President Rawlings said although the difficulties are temporary, what is important and needs to be appreciated is the understanding of Ghanaians about the sources of the problem.

"So long as we keep informing our people about the difficulties and sharing the solutions with them means democracy is alive in this country." He said Ghana, which has been acknowledged worldwide as a pacesetter in West Africa, has survived this long not only because of leadership and wealth but the desire of the people to move ahead.

He said people are beginning to realise government's resolve to brave the problems and urged foreign investors not to be deterred by the negative information being peddled about the country and Africa in general.

"Instead of criticising objectively and paying compliments where they are due, the critics always want the outside world to believe that African governments never do right.

"Of course, those negative reports do create a restraining feeling for potential investors who want to do business with Africa." President Rawlings expressed frustration and anger at the rampant discrimination against Africa by the Western world when it comes to helping the continent consolidate peace and security for the development of its peoples.

"But when it comes to sapping our resources, they are the experts." He cited recent developments in Sierra Leone saying, it is painful that the gains brought about through the hard work and sacrifice of the people, are beginning to suffer reverses.

President Rawlings expressed regret that the International Community did not do enough to assist efforts of the sub-region to consolidate peace in that country. "Sadly, we only hear of the international community wanting to move only into situations where peace has been achieved at the expense of other small countries," he said, adding, "you can't keep peace if you don't make it."

President Rawlings said those big Western countries who waste no time in dissipating huge resources on wars in countries elsewhere, should have assisted ECOWAS' mediation efforts to block out some of the antecedents that led to the current upheaval in Sierra Leone.

President Rawlings called for collective efforts to get the message across that Africa, which is "the cradle of humanity," is not getting the needed help from the world.

Mr James Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said Ghana has been interested in relations with Singapore because of the Asian country's preparedness to share experiences with her. He also buttressed government's commitment to consolidate democracy in Ghana for the development of the people.

Mr Foo expressed appreciation for Ghana's support to his country at the international level, especially its bid for the 2001 session of the UN General Assembly. Such a support, he said, marked a further strengthening of bilateral relations between them. He also lauded government's efforts at developing the economy by undertaking various trade and investment drives abroad and expressed optimism that Ghanaians will reap tremendous benefit from such policies.

Ghana and Singapore are currently nurturing an evolving bilateral cooperation with an exchange programme for human resource development. There are presently a dozen Singaporean businessmen in Ghana who are engaged in the tourism sector and exports, mostly in seafood.