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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - DPM Teo:We give bonus because of economy</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>7:55 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 3) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>33905.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>May 31, 2010
Civil service bonus reflects confidence in rebound
<!-- by line -->By Amelia Tan
THE extra half a month's salary plus a one-off payment of $300 which civil servants will receive in July reflects the confidence in the recovering economy, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.
Explaining the rationale, Mr Teo said the mid-year payment was based on the better economic climate and the National Wages Council's annual wage guidelines.
Last week, the council recommended that companies doing well reward their workers with a pay rise and urged employers to give low-wage workers more through a fixed dollar amount than in proportional terms.
This year's civil service bonus is highly anticipated after none was given last year, due to the recession.
It also exceeds past years' payouts, which tended to be half a month's pay, but with a lower fixed dollar amount. The exception was in 2008, when the fixed dollar amount ranged between $100 and $300.
Mr Teo, who is also the Minister in charge of the Civil Service and Defence, added however that in the long term, wages have to be in line with productivity.
He said as civil service pay is pegged to Singapore's economic performance, last year's pay was reduced between 8 and 22 per cent because of the downturn.
But Mr Teo stopped short of saying whether salaries will return to pre-recession levels, now that the economic climate is looking up.
He did say: 'Our principles remain the same. We will follow the economy. We don't leave the economy.'
Turning to matters of defence, reporters asked Mr Teo why his ministry had not made known earlier details of a shooting incident which injured two servicemen in Thailand.
Public criticism came after The Straits Times reported last Tuesday that First Sergeant Woo Teng Hai, 25, had been accidentally shot by a farmer, while on a training exercise in Thailand in March. The next day, another report was published on a second such victim following information given by his relative.
The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said later in a Forum letter that given the nature of the incident, the ministry should have issued a media statement when it occurred.
Mr Teo said Mindef's priority is to take care of the serviceman and keep his family informed.
'That is the priority. And if it is of public interest of course we will make a media release. It depends on judgment of what is of public interest,' he added.
Mr Teo was taking part in a walk for families organised by the RSVP Singapore - The Organisation of Senior Volunteers yesterday at East Coast Park.
About 100 people participated in the 4km walk.
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Civil service bonus reflects confidence in rebound
<!-- by line -->By Amelia Tan
THE extra half a month's salary plus a one-off payment of $300 which civil servants will receive in July reflects the confidence in the recovering economy, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.
Explaining the rationale, Mr Teo said the mid-year payment was based on the better economic climate and the National Wages Council's annual wage guidelines.
Last week, the council recommended that companies doing well reward their workers with a pay rise and urged employers to give low-wage workers more through a fixed dollar amount than in proportional terms.
This year's civil service bonus is highly anticipated after none was given last year, due to the recession.
It also exceeds past years' payouts, which tended to be half a month's pay, but with a lower fixed dollar amount. The exception was in 2008, when the fixed dollar amount ranged between $100 and $300.
Mr Teo, who is also the Minister in charge of the Civil Service and Defence, added however that in the long term, wages have to be in line with productivity.
He said as civil service pay is pegged to Singapore's economic performance, last year's pay was reduced between 8 and 22 per cent because of the downturn.
But Mr Teo stopped short of saying whether salaries will return to pre-recession levels, now that the economic climate is looking up.
He did say: 'Our principles remain the same. We will follow the economy. We don't leave the economy.'
Turning to matters of defence, reporters asked Mr Teo why his ministry had not made known earlier details of a shooting incident which injured two servicemen in Thailand.
Public criticism came after The Straits Times reported last Tuesday that First Sergeant Woo Teng Hai, 25, had been accidentally shot by a farmer, while on a training exercise in Thailand in March. The next day, another report was published on a second such victim following information given by his relative.
The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said later in a Forum letter that given the nature of the incident, the ministry should have issued a media statement when it occurred.
Mr Teo said Mindef's priority is to take care of the serviceman and keep his family informed.
'That is the priority. And if it is of public interest of course we will make a media release. It depends on judgment of what is of public interest,' he added.
Mr Teo was taking part in a walk for families organised by the RSVP Singapore - The Organisation of Senior Volunteers yesterday at East Coast Park.
About 100 people participated in the 4km walk.
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