SDP to hold press conference to launch Shadow Budget

[metalslug]

http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/ne...hold-press-conference-to-launch-shadow-budget

SDP to hold press conference to launch Shadow Budget
Monday, 14 February 2011
Singapore Democrats

The Singapore Democrats will hold a press conference on Wednesday at 11 am at the Post-Mueum, 107-109 Rowell Road to launch our alternative to the Budget. Dr Vincent Wijeysingha will deliver Shadow Budget 2011: Empowering the Nation for the SDP.

This is the first time that the opposition is delivering a shadow budget to rival that of the PAP's. It comes on the eve of the Finance Minister's presentation of the Government's Budget this Friday.

Members of the media have been invited to the press conference. The public are also welcome.

Dr Wijeysingha will outline the SDP's priorities for the nation's expenditure for FY2011. Shadow Budget 2011 will make proposals on how our national spending can be used to empower the people by making our economy a truly productive and resilient one.

It is one where the people's needs are addressed and where economic growth benefits all sectors of the society equitably.

We eschew the PAP practice of taxing the people and making them pay beyond what they can afford, and then doles out 'goodies' in the hope of getting electoral support especially during an election year.

The PAP's scheme is to force Singaporeans to continue our dependence on it as a dispenser of the largesse so that it can wield political and economic control over the people as well as glorify itself.

Unfortunately this has been done at the expense of our economic fundamentals. Our productivity level is low, the income gap is high and we cannot generate healthy economic returns without the massive injection of cheap labour from overseas.

Dr Wijeysingha will counter this dead-end approach by proposing measures that will lift the socio-economic conditions of Singaporeans, seeking to empower the people and allow them to truly enjoy the fruits of their labour.

For example one of the proposals is to allocate developmental expenditure to establish a committee under the Ministry of Manpower to look into implementing a Singaporeans First Policy where employers and businesses are required to demonstrate that the skills they want to hire are not available among Singaporeans before they are allowed to take in non-Singaporeans employees.

Such a practice is being adopted in other countries such as Australia and the UK. It will stem the PAP's mindless policy of indiscriminately inviting foreign workers into Singapore to dispace Singaporean workers.

Another item of the Shadow Budget trims the bloated cabinet and the salaries of the ministers. In particular focus is the Prime Minister's Office which is current staffed by seven ministers: The Minister Mentor, two Senior Ministers, two Deputy Prime Ministers, and two Ministers without portfolio.

These posts, which pay an annual salary of about $2 million to each minister, are redundant. These cabinet positions only signal the weak leadership of the current Prime Minister. If Mr Lee Hsien Loong cannot run his administration without the help of so many ministers in his office, he has no business running the country.

The removal of the ministerial posts from the PMO and the reduction of ministerial salaries across the board will free up about $30 million dollars. This will halve the expenditure for political appointees of $58 million for FY2010. These funds will be re-allocated for more productive use.

The Shadow Budget will be presented in full this Wednesday.

 

[lockeliberal]

Dear Metal

In so much as it is a good idea I am afraid that this is more of a marketing effort with little substance behind it.

To the extend that a budge offers alternative spending proposals , one must be able to offer to be able to better spend what the Gov has raised. I mean every dog or half arsed economist expects the gov coffers to be overflowing, the question as always is how much. and the How much will be what the gov will give away whilst keeping some back but at the end of the day if YOU project without knowing the real how much then I am afraid they are barking up the wrong tree.



Locke

 

[cooleo]

What kind of fucking bullshit is the shadow budget? Wait till they get seats in Parliament then talk la. Chui Gong Lam Par Song nia la!

 

[cleareyes]

Dear Metal

In so much as it is a good idea I am afraid that this is more of a marketing effort with little substance behind it.

To the extend that a budge offers alternative spending proposals , one must be able to offer to be able to better spend what the Gov has raised. I mean every dog or half arsed economist expects the gov coffers to be overflowing, the question as always is how much. and the How much will be what the gov will give away whilst keeping some back but at the end of the day if YOU project without knowing the real how much then I am afraid they are barking up the wrong tree.



Locke

We shall see.

Unless its logical and rational and it would really benefit this country, Me and mt research guys are ready for a good laugh

 

[Forvendet]

SDP pretending to be government and CSJ pretending to be prime minister again.

Shadow budget? Doesn't even have a shadow cabinet or even a shadow MP. A shadow cabinet can only be formed with sufficient MPs in Parliament to debate issues and ask questions. Get that first, then talk about shadowing budget or other policies.

Any uncle and auntie knows that ministers are paid very very highly and the money could be used elsewhere if they accept paycuts. Any school kid studying economics can draw up budgets and their teacher can mark their papers.

You can't get rid of redundant ministers and excessively high salaries by drawing up budgets or making noise. You do that by winning elections, which they're apparently interested in some token contests to sustain a political activism presence for their agenda but totally disinterested in winning, much less serving the citizens.

 

[kukubird58]

knnbccb....where are you....we need your pet chimp........

 

[metalslug]

Shadow Budget press conference starts today at 11 am...

 

[GoldenDragon]

SDP pretending to be government and CSJ pretending to be prime minister again.

Shadow budget? Doesn't even have a shadow cabinet or even a shadow MP. A shadow cabinet can only be formed with sufficient MPs in Parliament to debate issues and ask questions. Get that first, then talk about shadowing budget or other policies.

Any uncle and auntie knows that ministers are paid very very highly and the money could be used elsewhere if they accept paycuts. Any school kid studying economics can draw up budgets and their teacher can mark their papers.

You can't get rid of redundant ministers and excessively high salaries by drawing up budgets or making noise. You do that by winning elections, which they're apparently interested in some token contests to sustain a political activism presence for their agenda but totally disinterested in winning, much less serving the citizens.

Bread and butter issues, FT invasion and job/education robberies, ministers' salaries, perks and privileges, cronyism, GST, increased costs in almost anything and everything under the sun and moon, accountability of ministers , MPs etc etc. Middle and lower class not bothered about anything else - democracy, budget, human rights etc.