a woman and her seated dog = lack of civic mindednessMay I quote from editorial page in BT dated Feb 4, 2009,
"As the global economic crisis continues to unfold, there are ominous signs of a rise in economic nationalism and even overt protectionism.
In the United States, the economic stimulus package is studded with 'buy American' provisions, for products ranging from steel to worker uniforms to computers.
In the European Union, authorities are directing banks to lend to domestic entities and are drawing up plans to protect their own 'national champions'.
Amid a rising wave of labour unrest, there are calls to protect jobs for domestic workers as against foreigners - and this is evident in Asia too."
Is protectionism symptom apparent in the recent Singapore's budget too?
Is the Jobs Credit scheme inadvertently say "buy Singaporean"?
What if the 9% wage subsidy or negative tax of Jobs Credit scheme inadvertently improve our flexibility to be "price competitiveness" for our exports? Will it develop into a full fledged farm subsidy debates between US and Europe? Don't think so.
"buy Singaporean" - Is it the same as sell foreign talents/workers? Are we forsaking our ethos on meritocracy?
A coffee shop discussion with an informed friend gave me an alternate interpretation. The Jobs Credit Scheme is an attempt to keep a core group of Singaporeans to continue to exercise their respective trade, business, profession and vocation over the duration of current financial storm. So that when the storm passes, this group of survived Singaporeans (ie. with the stronger genetic code) can go forth and multiply ie. sustaining Singapore Inc.
1 comment:
Mr Lim,
You said Jobs Credit Scheme is to save jobs.
Partially, correct.
The Jobs Credit Scheme is to save jobs for Singaporeans.
As the largest labour union with members who are Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans, how do we reconcile this to the whole membership base?
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