GOVT MAKES TOUGH DECISIONS FOR S'POREANS: 105% INCREASE IN S-PASS HOLDERS?

Govt makes tough decisions for S’poreans

According to the Straits Times news report “Government does not shy away from tough decision as it has a responsibility to S’poreans: PM Lee” (Aug 2) – “Last year, the inflow was the slowest it has been in a very long time and I think that is necessary,” he said, referring to the 26,000 growth in foreign employment excluding maids, down from a growth pace of 80,000 in 2011″.

Curtailing the growth of foreign workers?

I was curious as to why a comparison was only made between 2011 and 2014 – a 3 year gap?

In this connection, according to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) web site – the total foreign workforce increased by 302,200 or 32.2 per cent, from 857,400 in 2009 to 1,133,200 in 2014.

S-Pass increased 105%

The increase in S-Pass was even higher at a whopping 105.4 per cent, from 82,800 to 170,100.

The increase in Employment Pass was also very high, at 56.5 per cent, from 114,300 to 178,900.

As to “And you may agree with it, you may not agree with it, but I can tell you in complete honesty that I am trying my best to do this on your behalf. And I cannot avoid doing this, otherwise, I think, I will be letting you down. ”

He expressed hope that Singaporeans understood this: “If I did not think it make sense for you, why should I want to do this? I do not owe hundreds of millions of potential foreign workers from around the world an obligation. I owe Singaporeans a responsibility”- in addition to the growth in foreign workers - on the average in a year – there were

… 43,852 new PRs granted

(348,654 new PRs granted from 2007 to 2014)

… 19,240 new citizens granted

(153,923 new citizens granted from 2007 to 2014)

… 35,000 Dependent Pass (DPs) and Long-term Visit Pass (LTVPs)

issued to dependents of foreign workers on Employment Passes (EP) (from 2005 to 2010)

Do the above make sense to you?

Win battles lose war