Like any place that is not your original home the longer you stay the more you learn. Well it has been close to 7 years now for me and I am still learning something each day. For me I learn a lot from the students I have in my class. With many of them being for 40+ years of age they knew Singapore before it became its own country or at least remember the early days of its start and the stories they tell can really open your eyes to the country. Each of them is a walking history book.

With the rapid development of the country landmark site are now gone or forgotten except for those that lived in the area and can tell others of what use to be there. The fishing villages of Punggol or the villages for Sembawang are long gone now but not forgotten by all. All over the country places where people would gather and meet have disappeared or been abandoned. Where I work there is a place where people use to come to hang their birds and talk. Now, no more, but the area is being renovated and the rusty frame that once held the cages has been repainted so maybe there is some hope of the past after all. I walk down streets and on the building I see when they we made, 1935, 1940, 1941, wow what history these building have within their walls.

Places like little India which has not seen much development is now receiving a face life as are other locations around the country. This will benefit those living in the area and those that visit them.

Development

Singapore is always under re-development, be it housing, building or industry the places is always changing. This is done to keep ahead of the region so the country is not left behind in a rapid changing world. Singapore is too small with no natural recourses except its people. Education has to be number one and getting people into the area in which the government is moving to support those industries has to be paramount, other wise the master plan will fail.

Over the pass few years the government has eased up on the night life to bring Singapore to the forefront in Southeast Asia. Within a few years casino’s like the Sands will be operating in the Marian Bay area and another at Sentosa to draw in the gambling crowds. A long with this is the development of the entire Marian Bay area and plans for a new finance District close by.

Attractions like the Singapore Flyer which has a diameter of the wheel of 150 metres and a height of 165 metres (the height of a 42-storey building) the ride will last for 37 minutes. Right now a price for the ride range from S$29 for adults and S$20 for kids. If the want an entire capsule which will hold 30 people plan to shell out up to S$1500 for a turn. Under the Singapore Flyer there will be a bird park, shopping mall and night clubs so come March 2008 when it is due to open it should be a grand event.

A Formula 1 race track is said may be build not to compete with Malaysia but to add another circuit in the region. According to sources, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) is considering building the permanent track facility off the East Coast Parkway, near the Changi Naval Base.

The circuit, an FIA Grade 2 track stretching between 3.5km and 4km, will be capable of hosting major motor sports events, except for F1 races, which need Grade 1 circuits.

Singapore Sports Council chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik feels it is critical that Singapore takes advantage of the momentum, when it wins the rights to host an F1 race in Singapore. "A permanent track is ideal because we can't possibly close our streets regularly.

For the people of Singapore 3 more MRT lines are in the planning and should be completed by the year 2020. Over 1.4 million people ride the MRT trains each day so the added line will be a welcome site to everyone in areas where at present there are no trains but only buses.

With all of this new development going on in time the number of workers will increase providing jobs for both the younger and older works.. For the casino’s word is 10,000 new jobs, the Singapore flyer, MRT lines and all the new hotels will add their share of new job openings in the market.

Quality of life

For some in the country life is good but isn’t it that way in all countries? So let us talk about the middle-class Singaporeans who earn an average of S$1,500 a month (550,000 workers Est.) or the poorest 10%, struggling with S$300 a month. While house is made available for all Singaporeans most of the older workers have already paid off the Flats that is not a worry to really speak of.

There is a saying here in Singapore, “Work or you die!” and how true it is too. Most Singaporean has a savings account setup for when they think they will retire. But they know once they stop working unless they have made some serious financial plans life will be a lot harder has prices continue to rise. It is not uncommon to see people in they 70’s working as security officer, cleaners or some of the other low paying jobs in the country just so they can get by each day. I’ve talked to them in each class I hold and there are a number of reasons on why they still need to work, but the bottom lie is they need to work.

I feel it is just a way of life here that the people have come to except without question. Cab drivers spend up to 12 hours a day in the cab and make just enough to get by after they pay; cab rental charges, petrol, cleaning, food, tolls and other expensive they get each day. Cleaners are earning in the S$800 range, security officers S$1,400 Est. and I know guy making S$600 as an elevator operator; he works 5 ½ days a week. So to say the quality of life is great, I think not! 

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News: Employability is key: Manpower Minister's May Day message
By Ashraf Safdar, 27 April 2007 

SINGAPORE: Higher skills, employability and safety - these are the three main challenges spelt out in the Manpower Minister's May Day message to Singapore workers.

Mr Ng Eng Hen said government-led initiatives, like the Workfare Income Supplement together with CPF changes, can only go so far in helping low-income earners. Workers need to upgrade their skills either on their own or through Workforce Development Agency initiatives. Older workers are not exempt from this - they need to update themselves with up-to-date and relevant skills. There are today about 150,000 residents between 55 and 64, who are not in the workforce.

And while employees better themselves, Mr Ng said employers need to be impartial in all their recruitment and day-to-day practices. No form of discrimination ought to be practiced. Mr Ng also stressed the importance of being safe in the workplace. He said that only if occupational safety standards are improved will Singapore be able to achieve the standards set by developed countries for Occupational Safety & Health.
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When I came to Singapore as a visitor everything looks great and prosperous for a people, well it looks that way. Get out and way from Orchard Road and talk to the guy sitting the coffee shop and see what he has to say.

The big story during April 2007 was the pay raise the government gave them selves. For the average Singapore this is crazy when the salaries where told.

The annual salary structure with immediate effect, (in Singapore dollars): (= exchange rate of 1.51 sing to the US dollar)

President –

$3,187,100 (up 24.9%) = 2,107,174 US Dollar

Prime Minister –

 $3,091,200 (up 25.5%) = 2,043,769 US Dollar

Senior Minister –

$3,043,300 (up 13.5%) = 2,012,099 US Dollar

Minister Mentor –

$3,043,300 (up 13.5%) = 2,012,099 US Dollar

Deputy Prime Minister –

$2,452,500 (up 18.8%) = 1,621,488 US Dollar

Minister and Senior Perm Sec –

$1,593,500 (up 32.5% increase) (MR4 Grade) = 1,053,554 US Dollar

Entry Superscale Grade –

$384,000 (up 3.3%) [SR9 Grade] = 253,884 US Dollar

Member of Parliament –

$216,300 (up 23.2%) = 143,008 US Dollar

(You can get the details in the News section of this web site)

Singapore - Company Image

All of Singapore is a company so everything that happens in the country affects the image of that company of Singapore. If the image it stained it hurts the country and that could have long lasting effects that could hurt the country.

When word was put out about the casinos to be built it was within weeks that on TV you started seeing commercials about giving help who had gambling habits because it was and still is a big fear that people will gamble away their saving. Last I heard was they Singaporeans would have to pay to enter the casino’s, I guess to make sure that had cab fare to get back the flat they just lost, I don’t know?

But here is the new Singapore world, bigger and better then ever. Come to Singapore and see what we have done and become. Orchard Road is getting a face life so within the next 4 or 5 years that will be a changed place too. St James Power Station, the largest clubbing venue in Southeast Asian. The new high condos in the Marian Bay area and housing units to be build on Sentosa I would say are not for the average Singaporean but rather for the wealthy for the world. Look at it this way, it brings in the dollars to the country and isn’t that what rally counts anyway? Investors are Number 1.

Is it just me or did I miss something

Immigrations have 2 dogs that can sniff out illegal DVD’s, wow I wonder how they do that? But anyway, the 2 pups are getting more and more each day, good job we are stopping them from entering the country.  But you can go into the housing area where the shops are and find stores selling the computer software in plain site. it is like normal business. From time to time the police raid them but they reopen within a few weeks sometimes sooner. If not the shop moves to new location not far way and starts all over again. The other day I saw and shop in a mall on Orchard Road, WTF!

Maybe is it just part of the Asian culture I don’t understand yet, the turning of the blind eye as it is call. “No big deal”, people tell me, ‘the guy is just trying to make a living”.

As small as Singapore is I find it hard to believe that really any illegal activities done in the open are not caught and stopped right away. But like I said my be I missed something!

In closing

The average Singaporean makes $1,500 a month, this person is highly educated and hard working. The need to constant upgrading of skills is encouraged by both the employer and government. Education is of the highest priority from a very young age and the pressure put on the children to advance and do well in school is enormous.

When they start working they may start out with a monthly salary of $1,200 to $1,500 depending on which field they are working in. older workers need to be retrained in job skills to earn certificates from the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) or National Skills Resignation System (NSRS) to be able to continue to work.

Changing requirements for other worker (25 to 50 years of age) require them to attend classes to keep their qualification to d their jobs, this is life in the workforce of Singapore.

So it brings up a good question on why the pay is so low for such highly skilled workers?  When I received my qualifications to be a Security Officer did I get a raise, NO and I know of no one else that has either even under the new WSQ system. Security Officer are still making as much now as I did back in 2003 when I was working in the field 4 years ago.

The cost of living has gone up and the GST has gone from 5% to 7% but no raise for the workers to cover this. The government did has some schemes to help people that these a only short term fixed and in the long run don’t really add up to much anyway, but every little bit helps I guess.

If you step back and look at the big picture you will see what may be the reason for the low pay in Singapore. Singapore is a land of people and only people, that is all  Singapore has to offer the world, no more no less, that’s it. With the other countries in the region trying to play catch up to Singapore the country need to keep it’s self marketable to investors to bring their operation here vice other countries. Ok you see where this is going now? Skilled, cheap labor is here in Singapore. I think that has always been the selling point to companies on Singapore. While it is good for the country, the poor worker that is putting in 72 hours a week it’s a killer, but what can be done? Not much, here in Singapore you can not strike or protest,  the union is ran by the government, most government official have stocks in many (if not all) of the major companies in the country, the owners of the companies have no incentive to give out big raises since this will cut in to their profits and heir earning. Since the people don’t complain why should anyone care and no one dose care.

The pay gap between the average worker and the upper class is as big as the Grand Canyon, you just can’t fathom it until you are standing there looking it and realize how big it is.

In the recently released World Wealth Report, the number of millionaires in Singapore has increased in number. Last year, some 67,000 Singaporeans had at least USD1 million worth of assets, an increase of 21% over the year before. Singapore's number of millionaires is the world's fastest growing, followed by India and Indonesia growing at 20.5% and 16% respectively. In fact, one-third of the millionaires (approximately 18,000 people) in Singapore are Indonesian tycoons living in the city-state. Their total assets are worth approximately USD87bn. There are only as of 2006 55,000 Singaporean millionaires with a total asset of USD260bn.

Much of the public anger stems from the fact that in absolute terms, the new proposed government salaries equivalent to more than US$1 million per year dwarf the pay of average Singaporean wage earners. This is especially true since the wage gap between upper- and middle-class earners in Singapore has widened dramatically in recent years. And PAP politicians are acutely aware of the growing disparity.

Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan (no relation to the prime minister) said in Parliament on November 8 2006: "At the household level, between 1990 and 2005, households in the top 20% experienced the fastest per capita income growth of 6% per annum. The lowest 20% actually [saw] their household income decline between 2000 and 2005.

"We can see the effect of globalization here," he noted. "It is pulling both ends further apart. The end result? The top is soaring ahead, the bottom is falling behind and the middle is feeling the pressure."