The pandemic brought to the fore the critical role of the People’s Association (PA)
The pandemic brought to the fore the critical role of the People’s Association (PA). The People’s Association (PA) is often the target of attack from the Opposition. But the 3 years of pandemic and the response of PA during the pandemic had altered people’s perception – and appreciation – of the PA. The pandemic years […]
Debunking 3 common myths about the People’s Association
The People’s Association (PA) – you know them as the people who handle your community spaces in your HDB estates, those who do community events – but who are they really? We debunk 3 common misconceptions (or ahem, conspiracy theories as sometimes conjured up by opposition parties) about these unsung heroes. Myth 1: The People’s […]
Singapore goes from third place to top spot in the Chandler Good Government Index
Singapore has moved from third place to top spot in the Chandler Good Government Index. In second place is Switzerland. Finland, which has topped the index since it was first published in 2021, is in third place. This is the third edition of the index. Singapore’s top rank is helped by its strong performance in […]
Did the PAP mischaracterise the WP’s working paper on lease decay? An English test will answer this question.
Before COVID-19 in 2020, HDB resale prices had been going down, down and down. In fact, prices had fallen for six consecutive years. Analysts at that time were divided over whether prices would continue to fall in 2019. You can watch the video here: Against this backdrop, the Workers’ Party published their Working Paper […]
Are expired COVID-19 vaccines a waste of taxpayers’ money?
Around S$140 million worth of COVID-19 vaccines have expired. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung described this as ‘insurance premium’, the price that Singapore is prepared to pay to stave of catastrophic consequences. The PAP Government realised early on during the pandemic, that vaccines were our safe exit from the pandemic. They decided to act early […]
A look at Singapore’s COVID-19 response, a complex and wicked problem on a grand scale
“COVID-19 was a very complex and wicked problem on a grand scale,” said DPM Lawrence Wong. Our battle with the virus was a journey with many twists and turns, and with repeated surprises and disruptions along the way. The situation was dynamic and fluid, with new information and developments unfolding daily. We had to operate […]
Expired vaccines are an insurance premium we paid to stave off catastrophic consequences: Ong Ye Kung
The Government knew early on during the COVID-19 pandemic that vaccines would provide us with a safe exit from the pandemic. Hence the mass vaccination strategy. However, without sufficient doses of vaccines, our mass vaccination strategy would have been a non-starter, as Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in Parliament. COVID-19 was a new virus. […]
WP Jamus Lim thinks today’s needs are bigger than tomorrow’s challenges
In Parliament, the Workers’ Party (WP) had argued for more of the NIRC to be used as government revenue for spending. They had called for 60% to 70% of NIRC to be used. In an exchange with a netizen named Richard Weng, WP Jamus Lim said that it was about striking an appropriate balance between […]
National Wages Council recommends a 5.5% to 7.5% wage increment for lower-wage workers in new guidelines
TL;DR: Lower-wage workers earning up to S$2,200 a month should receive salary increments of 5.5% to 7.5% for the period from Dec1, 2022 to Nov 30, 2023. Amid an uneven recovery for business in different sectors, the National Wages Council (NWC) remains steadfast in fairly and sustainably raising the wages of workers to foster Singapore’s social and […]
Don’t try to second guess the Minister because your objective input matters greatly: Lawrence Wong to public officers
At the 2022 Annual Public Service Leadership Ceremony, DPM Lawrence Wong tells public officers not to second guess the Minister or try to propose something that they think the Government will find politically convenient to do. This is because the Government values their candid and forthright inputs. Their professional inputs matter greatly, the minister said. […]