|
|
|
  |
| AsiaViews, Edition: 48/VI/March2010 |
|
| Higher productivity is the only option: Lim |
SINGAPORE - Had the Government not created a foreign worker buffer in the workforce, Singaporeans would have been harder hit by the recession, labour chief Lim Swee Say told Parliament yesterday.
He was responding to questions from Members of Parliament about Singapore's growth-at-all-cost strategy, in particular, the influx of foreign workers.
In spite of the downturn, the number of Singaporeans in employment actually went up. "Thanks to this strategy, we succeeded in preventing many low-wage workers, from being no-wage workers," said Mr Lim.
Help for low-wage workers
He also dismissed Opposition MP Low Thia Kiang's assertion that the labour movement did not do enough for low-wage workers.
The tripartite partners have done much to minimise structural unemployment among this group by helping them to upgrade their skills through, for instance, the Best Sourcing Initiative (BSI), Mr Lim said.
He called on Mr Low, chairman of Hougang Town Council, to embark on the BSI to "show your sincerity in taking care of low-wage workers".
Mr Low clarified that while his town council does not practice the BSI, it does, in its contracts with its contractors, require them to raise productivity through mechanisation, and incentives are given for employing Singaporeans.
Cheaper, better, faster
Responding to Mr Low's comments made on Tuesday that the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) seems to keep squeezing every drop of effort from the worker, Mr Lim said: "He seems to imply that NTUC has nothing better to do than make the life of the workers difficult, but Mr Low doesn't understand why we're doing all this upskilling, cheaper, better, faster."
As the world, post-recession, has changed, "the cheaper are getting better, and the better are getting cheaper ... the only option is to grow cheaper, better, faster", he said.
While acknowledging that NTUC has done its part, Mr Low noted that low-wage workers continue to draw low wages and some feel that their jobs can be taken away any time despite the various upgrading schemes. "So perhaps, NTUC may want to do better and work harder?" said Mr Low.
Foreign workforce buffer
He also questioned Mr Lim's defence of the strategy of the past five years of creating a foreign workforce buffer. "I'm not sure that he's realised the outcome of this strategy," Mr Low said.
Opposition Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim noted that in just three years, the percentage of Singapore citizens in the population fell from 70 per cent of the total population, to just 64 per cent.
Such a huge inflow of people in a short space of time showed up in surging rental costs, higher inflation and worsening congestion, she said.
"While I agree that we need foreigners here ... the pace and scale of the influx in last few years was wrong. I had already cautioned against this at the Opening of Parliament in 2006. The Government should have done better planning, graduated the inflows and planned for space and resources," she said.
Mr Lim said Singapore needs to maintain the "share of foreign workers", currently about one-third of the present workforce.
"Slow GDP growth and low productivity gain is a deadly combination for a small export-oriented economy like Singapore," he said.
The only option is high productivity from both local and foreign labour.
"By 2020, our present workforce of 3 million may grow to 3.6 million and if we can ensure that every worker will be one-third more productive than today, the 3.6 million can produce an equivalent of 4.8 million workers' output of today," said Mr Lim.
"If we can do that in 2020, our GDP will be 50 per cent bigger even though the workforce will only be 20 per cent bigger." |
|
| By Esther Ng |
|
| Today, 04 March 2010 |
|
|
Your Letters | 
About Us | 
Contact Us 
