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I was waiting for a Minister to make a candid comment on the state of the National CONverstation before making a post to sum up my assessment of PAP's post GE Engagement Strategy.
By now, the empirical evidence appears overwhelming.
Immediately after GE 2011, there appeared to be an urgency on the part of the PAP to remake their image and win back lost votes. Expectations were high that after the apology and the tears, the PAP had learnt their lesson and would make a determined attempt to turn things around.
These expectations started to sag as the days turned to weeks and the weeks turned to months.
The PAP launched a number of initiatives which, if properly carried out, could have turned things around. Unfortunately the execution of the initiatives can only be described as an abject failure.
For example, they kicked off the reforms with a big bang in the form of salary reform. Hundreds of thousands of consulting dollars later, we are left with a situation where the Ministers are still paid 4 to 5 times more than other world leaders of developed, largely corruption free countries.
We were told the housing problem would be fixed. Half a billion dollars in new collected levies later, the problem is as big as ever with housing prices scaling new heights.
Transport, healthcare and even education ... they tried it all. The policy initiatives they introduced can best be described as half-hearted, piecemeal policies of plucking whatever low lying easy fruit they could find. While in the past this might have worked, the PAP have found in the internet a fierce and relentless watchdog. The short cuts, cheap tricks and other stunts were exposed for all to see.
The final straw has to be the National CONversation.Unveiled with great fanfare, it soon started to sink when it was revealed with video/photographic evidence that it was more of a PAP CONversation than a National CONversation. We now have a PAP Minister explaining to us that the National CONversation is not to talk about bread-and-butter issues. What pray tell should we then talk about?
If anybody reading this can, please post a reply on a PAP initative which was well received and can be called an unqualified success.
The wheels of time turn inevitably on and 2016 draws closer day by day ...
By now, the empirical evidence appears overwhelming.
Immediately after GE 2011, there appeared to be an urgency on the part of the PAP to remake their image and win back lost votes. Expectations were high that after the apology and the tears, the PAP had learnt their lesson and would make a determined attempt to turn things around.
These expectations started to sag as the days turned to weeks and the weeks turned to months.
The PAP launched a number of initiatives which, if properly carried out, could have turned things around. Unfortunately the execution of the initiatives can only be described as an abject failure.
For example, they kicked off the reforms with a big bang in the form of salary reform. Hundreds of thousands of consulting dollars later, we are left with a situation where the Ministers are still paid 4 to 5 times more than other world leaders of developed, largely corruption free countries.
We were told the housing problem would be fixed. Half a billion dollars in new collected levies later, the problem is as big as ever with housing prices scaling new heights.
Transport, healthcare and even education ... they tried it all. The policy initiatives they introduced can best be described as half-hearted, piecemeal policies of plucking whatever low lying easy fruit they could find. While in the past this might have worked, the PAP have found in the internet a fierce and relentless watchdog. The short cuts, cheap tricks and other stunts were exposed for all to see.
The final straw has to be the National CONversation.Unveiled with great fanfare, it soon started to sink when it was revealed with video/photographic evidence that it was more of a PAP CONversation than a National CONversation. We now have a PAP Minister explaining to us that the National CONversation is not to talk about bread-and-butter issues. What pray tell should we then talk about?
If anybody reading this can, please post a reply on a PAP initative which was well received and can be called an unqualified success.
The wheels of time turn inevitably on and 2016 draws closer day by day ...
http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapor...-to-be-extended-meet—the—people-session-grace
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Conversation is not meant to be an extended Meet—the—People Session. Ms Grace Fu, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, said this to reporters on the sidelines of a community event, in response to a question on whether the national dialogue has turned out the way she had expected.
She said: "I hope there’s a platform where we can hear a variety of views. There may be a minority who are treating it as a platform to air bread—and—butter issues, but I believe this platform is necessary.
"I believe once Singaporeans have participated in it multiple times, they would understand its aim better and set their sights further to talk about what they hope for Singapore to become 20 years from now."
Ms Fu said many Singaporeans recognise that economic growth and jobs are important. But they also want attention paid to non—economic areas like quality of life, housing and national identity.
On those allowed to work in Singapore, they hope the government can monitor the quality and the numbers.
Some 1,000 Yuhua residents participated in a charity walk on Sunday morning, and donated 4,000 bags of rice to the needy. The rice will be distributed to senior citizens and low—income families from January.
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