The Government will ensure no Singaporean falls below the poverty line as a result of the financial crisis but it cannot restore people's living standards to what they were pre-crisis.
'We all have to accept some sacrifices and cutbacks'
`The Government will ensure no Singaporean falls below the poverty line as a result of the financial crisis..'
Times bad we are called upon to sacrifice and take the pain like increased GST or 21% electricity hike. Times good - more pain as everybody can't wait to rush to increase charges and profits- usually who the first to hike and charge is obvious.
Even before the financial crisis, the rice price hikes, inflation caused so much financial pain and there are many who fall below the poverty line. But we are told - no subsidies as this will distort the market or encourage wasteful consumption - so comes targetted assistance for the truely and only destitute ones. Many middle class do not get targetted for govt assistance and suffer in silence. anybody knows or cares? Now we are called upon to make even more sacrifices and cutbacks.
Remember the mature workers during the last downturn, retrenched, wage cuts, CPF cuts, etc? In bad times, we are remembered, in good times, we are forgotten.
The Government will ensure no minister falls below the poverty line as a result of the financial crisis but it cannot restore people's living standards to what they were pre-crisis.
For example, every ministers and top civil servants must have at least a Mercedes S-class or a BMW 7-series. Ordinary Singaporeans? At least a bicycle. That is why they are looking at building bicyle parks like those in Paris or Montreal. It's in the Straits Times (Wed, Nov 5 2008, B1)
November 09, 2008 Sunday, 07:58 PM
