Thursday 4 June 2015

[Today] Remake Republic into one with strong S’porean core

It was heartening to read the report “No U-turn on foreign manpower policy: Swee Say” (June 3).
In the past, the Manpower Ministry had to give in to requests from businesses to relax its policy, to give these businesses time to innovate and adjust their business strategy.
Obviously, many did not heed the ministry’s advice and continued to expand rapidly, especially in labour-intensive services and manufacturing that, at the same time, are of low value-add to our economic growth.
Look at the many new shopping centres springing up, with the ever-increasing retail spaces and food and beverage outlets, and one has a good guess at the manpower these businesses need.
Singapore must reinvent itself from being a nation that depends on foreign manpower to one with a strong Singaporean core, coupled with a quality foreign workforce that would render the economy more competitive and sustainable for the longer term. Let us work together towards this goal.