Daily Lessons from Life 26 July 2012 - Govt seeks public views on population issues

"Govt seeks public views on population issues - CNA 26 July 2012

SINGAPORE: The National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) has released an Issues Paper to ramp up its public engagement on Singapore's population challenges going forward.

The paper, which is available online, aims to help Singaporeans understand the choices and trade-offs the country has to make.

NPTD said it's important that Singaporeans develop a shared understanding of these issues, which can go towards finding the right balance to build a sustainable population.

Director of Policy & Planning at National Population & Talent Division, Ngiam Siew Ying, said: "We are engaging the public extensively this year to hear their views, because we think it's an important issue that affects all of us. We have to look at the issue comprehensively, to achieve a population that is strong and cohesive, living in a good quality environment, with an economy that provides for good jobs and opportunities for all of us."

The paper is part of an ongoing consultation as NPTD prepares a White Paper on Population, scheduled for release at the end of the year.

The NPTD paper, entitled "Our Population, Our Future", lays out Singapore's demographic challenges in the face of declining birth rates, a shrinking workforce, and an ageing population.

As at December 2011, Singapore had 3.27 million Singapore citizens (SCs), and 0.54 million Permanent Residents (PRs). Together, they made up the resident population of 3.81 million.

Singapore also had a non-resident population of 1.46 million who are working, studying or living in Singapore on a non-permanent basis.

Singapore's total population was 5.26 million as at December 2011.

Of the non-resident population, the majority (46 per cent) are work permit holders (excluding foreign domestic workers) and 14 per cent are foreign domestic workers.

The others are: dependants of citizens and PRs as well as work pass holders (15 per cent); students (6 per cent); Employment Pass holders (12 per cent); S Pass holders (8 per cent).

The majority 43 per cent of foreign manpower work in services while 30 per cent work in construction.

Manufacturing takes 27 per cent and a minority 0.4 per cent work in other sectors.

The paper spells out the future implications of a shrinking and ageing workforce - fewer working people to support every elderly person; a less vibrant, less innovative economy; and eventually, a hollowing out of the population as young people leave for more exciting cities.
Experts said there is a key difference between meeting short-term economic needs like manpower and answering Singapore's demographic challenges.

The discussion continues as Singapore reaches a demographic turning point. More than 900,000 post-war baby boomers will hit 65 - the retirement age - from this year onward. That's over a quarter of the current citizen population."

Hopefully the papers IS to help Singaporeans UNDERSTAND the issues, the implication and NOT the desirability of the CURRENT policies THAT are clearly NOT being appreciated.

Lessons for me are:

1. most Singaporeans understand the needs for immigrants and foreigners. Hopefully the papers does not 'implied' they don't! i.e. be respectful of the intelligence of the Singaporeans;

2. the issues are complex but there are real solutions possible. Short term needs - contract foreign workers for works that Singaporeans do not want to do due to wages being too low or working conditions are not desirable or unbefitting the citizens of a world vibrant global city! Longer term needs - strict selection of real talent and committed new citizens IF Singapore is attractive enough vs. other destinations like USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc ... IF Singapore is NOT competitive, why not?;

3. how to deploy the billions of national reserves to invest in OUR FUTURE? are we bold enough to say: we will take 10% of it to create 'unfairly if you may say' a generation of 'special incentive' babies? Taking care of their basic needs from food, clothing, education up to completion of university degree!

I will be writing to the NPTD site for sure...