I Am Affected By FTAs.:
November 16, 2014 at 5:29 pm**(Quote)
@ WP’s Snake-oil Salesman Con: November 16, 2014 at 3:17 pm
“It is the unrelenting, uncontrolled and unconscionable importation of foreign labour, both the professional and semi-skilled workers with little regards to the citizens, by the E(V)IL REGIME which resulted in the woes of sinkies as listed by Chee, not the result of FTAs and the lack of political freedom per se that’s to be blamed.”
My fellow compatriot, I share your sentiments here. While it is perceptible that Dr. Chee did not link the loss of jobs here due to such trade pacts, it is widely reported in the news elsewhere that such trade pacts were foolishly inked without due consideration to the impact on local job losses.
Understandably, the obsequious local media would not have this published.
Let me cite you a case in point, the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CECA) trade pact, a subset of the India-Singapore FTA, opens our door to 127 kinds of professional jobs for Indians to come in to work on liberal conditions.
When the PAP government was put under public pressure on the back of the toxic PWP, MOM made changes to the Employment Pass Framework which mildly inhibited such free flow of Indian professionals into Singapore and India contemplated taking Singapore to WTO for arbitration.
Read synopsis from Business-Standard below, go to web-link spelt out. Yes FTAs do result in job losses for Sinkies.
Business Standard – February 17, 2013
http://www.business-standard.com
“Singapore recently made certain changes to its Employment Pass Framework law to reduce inflow of foreign workers significantly to create more job opportunities for local professionals. The move is expected to impact even those Indians working there at present across various sectors.
The amendments, made on a proposal by its Ministry of Manpower, has armed the Singapore government to bring down the foreign share of the total workforce to around one-third while encouraging employers to invest in productivity in return for incentives in the form of tax breaks.
The move came as a recent Singapore’s policy paper predicted that its population would grow by 30 per cent to 6.9 million by 2030, with immigrants making up nearly half that figure. The paper led to demonstrations in Singapore yesterday, a rare happening in the country, in protest against rise in immigrants.
The step has irked India as the new law does not give India a preferential treatment incorporated in the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CECA) between the two countries, operational since 2005. This stance by the Singapore Government is expected to affect Indians working as middle-level managers, executives and technicians.
According to Indian officials involved in the negotiations, this is a violation of the services trade agreement under CECA.
Speculations are rife that India might take up the issue with World Trade Organization’s (WTO) dispute settlement body.”