The Minister for Manpower and his ministry had a difficult challenge to solve the following dilemma:
1) We need more manpower for the economy due to insufficient Singaporeans, low birth rate, and an expanding economy.
2) To have to make sure that Singaporeans are not replaced when more foreigners are allowed in
3) There are some jobs that Singaporeans will not do, or do not have the required skills
4) NS reservist training will continue to be a serious impediment in the employment of male Singaporeans
5) There is a high turnover rate of Singaporeans, which makes employers prefer to employ foreigners.
What can be done to solve these challenges?
1) We need more manpower for the economy due to insufficient Singaporeans, low birth rate, and an expanding economy.
2) To have to make sure that Singaporeans are not replaced when more foreigners are allowed in
3) There are some jobs that Singaporeans will not do, or do not have the required skills
4) NS reservist training will continue to be a serious impediment in the employment of male Singaporeans
5) There is a high turnover rate of Singaporeans, which makes employers prefer to employ foreigners.
What can be done to solve these challenges?
Manpower issues can be alleviated with automation & elimination of redundant processes.
ReplyDeleteAs for economy expanding, there isn't a need to expand it since it is making lives miserable for the masses. I would rather have the economy in state state of no growth so as to purge out the problems that comes with cancerous growth.
Gorwth at all costs = cancerous growth.
What about the role of the unions, led by a deaf frog?
ReplyDeleteWe need to manage our expectations in several aspects. Let me illustrate.
ReplyDeleteLife as it is now is quite comfortable. We are already a prosperous country. We just need to keep up with the pace other countries are creating their wealth.
As such, we do not need to pursue a strategy of high GDP growth. A growth of 3% should suffice, in line with other rich countries' pace.
As such, there is no need to take to extreme measures to help businesses such as the import of large number of foreigners. Where foreigners are necessary, let them do the jobs Singaporeans are not willing to do, like cleaning. High value jobs should be left to Singaporeans. They are sufficiently competent to do it.
Yes, businesses will suffer. But if our expectation is 3% growth, it is manageable.
I think its more a challenge for labour, the workers themselves.
ReplyDeleteMoM,NTUC,Business federations, associations, chambers of commerce, employers are all in sync with each other.They are one.
They get invited to each other's talks, launches etc and they stand united and focused on one singular thing:
Keep labour costs down.
Meanwhile,workers, labour is left alone with no consolidated leadership.
The only one that is supposed to represent labour has gone out for lunch with business federations, associations, chambers and.. along the way, pick up some tooth picks.
We are represented in theory only.
Already our boys have had to sacrifice 2 years doing NS, and then again burdened by annual Reservice till their mid thirties, the golden period of their career lives.
ReplyDeleteToo many Cabinet Ministers coming from Army background is the main hindrance, just abdor slaying this sacred cow which is used for selfish motives, fearfully sticking to last century's antiquated mindset, better the people suffer than they losing control.
Forever governing in denial.
If "I am a young man with a good grasp of English, I would immigrate", so said LKY of Japan, he's talking about our very own boys???
Meanwhile we continue losing local talent to the West, and young men fearful of procreation due to unstable job worries, well, so be it. And our present leaders continue to live one day at a time, in denial mode, just tweak here and there, hoping to strike the bull's eye.