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- Dec 30, 2010
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With every passing year, with every budget, we see more problem emerging as we start to solve the older ones. The leadership never gets ahead of
the curve and problems deepen over time. This budget clearly recognize the problems Singaporeans face with the income gap, low wages, foreign influx and rising cost of living but these problems have been with us for more almost a decade and have deepened over the years. This budget is a step in the right direction but much more needs to be done.
After tracking all these problems for 7 years on my blog, I believe that despite the measures in the budget, most of our problems will continue to deepen because there is a lack of will to pursue fundamental changes in the system. This 2013 Budget should have been the 2004 Budget or the 2005Budget...a budget that fixes problems quickly as they emerge rather than one that tries to fix old problems than have turned serious over time. The success of this budget and the actions of our govt today will be measured by improvement in the quality of life a year or two from now. Ordinary Singaporeans who have shown so much patience in the past, today find themselves overwhelmed by a multitude of problems causing a sense of insecurity about their future and a fear of displacement in their own country.
If this was the 2004 or 2005 budget, I would have applauded the govt for anticipating the problems we were facing in years ahead and doing something about them before the problems became too numerous and too big. Unfortunately, this is the 2013, our income inequality has grown, our dependence on foreign labor has worsened, our productivity has fallen over the last decade, and the cost of living has escalated to a point that we see middle income families facing enormous strains and poorer families struggling. The budget speech by Tharman started off by correctly identifying the major problems that plague our society and economy and the measures taken in the budget are steps in the right direction but this is a budget almost a decade too late and we are now dealing with huge gaps not fine cracks in the system. While fundamental changes such as revamping our healthcare system does not come from the measures in the budget, the 2013 budget tells us about some of the tweaks the govt has in mind for the problems we face.
- http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2013/03/budget-with-changes-in-right.html
the curve and problems deepen over time. This budget clearly recognize the problems Singaporeans face with the income gap, low wages, foreign influx and rising cost of living but these problems have been with us for more almost a decade and have deepened over the years. This budget is a step in the right direction but much more needs to be done.
After tracking all these problems for 7 years on my blog, I believe that despite the measures in the budget, most of our problems will continue to deepen because there is a lack of will to pursue fundamental changes in the system. This 2013 Budget should have been the 2004 Budget or the 2005Budget...a budget that fixes problems quickly as they emerge rather than one that tries to fix old problems than have turned serious over time. The success of this budget and the actions of our govt today will be measured by improvement in the quality of life a year or two from now. Ordinary Singaporeans who have shown so much patience in the past, today find themselves overwhelmed by a multitude of problems causing a sense of insecurity about their future and a fear of displacement in their own country.
If this was the 2004 or 2005 budget, I would have applauded the govt for anticipating the problems we were facing in years ahead and doing something about them before the problems became too numerous and too big. Unfortunately, this is the 2013, our income inequality has grown, our dependence on foreign labor has worsened, our productivity has fallen over the last decade, and the cost of living has escalated to a point that we see middle income families facing enormous strains and poorer families struggling. The budget speech by Tharman started off by correctly identifying the major problems that plague our society and economy and the measures taken in the budget are steps in the right direction but this is a budget almost a decade too late and we are now dealing with huge gaps not fine cracks in the system. While fundamental changes such as revamping our healthcare system does not come from the measures in the budget, the 2013 budget tells us about some of the tweaks the govt has in mind for the problems we face.
- http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2013/03/budget-with-changes-in-right.html
