Must at least save some $$$ for them also...otherwise how to choose where they want to go...Originally posted by LazerLordz:I'm giving my future kids the choice of where they want to settle.It's the very least I can do..
Me too, I told my kids if they want to migrate to elsewhere, I won't stop them.Originally posted by LazerLordz:I'm giving my future kids the choice of where they want to settle.It's the very least I can do..
Of course some may be happy with government performance depending on their own stations e.g. the beneficiaries, the elites or the rich.Originally posted by Salman:Overall, the govt did a great job and I tend to disagree with many points brought up by Robert.
However, there are two things the govt screwed up big time.
1. The costing of PSA, insisting the high land cost assigned by the govt be passed on to shipping companies. We lost Maerks and Evervgreen in the process and gave PTP a leg up. This is absolutely stupid. The biggest screw up by the govt.
2. Ranking system for schools. They love to benchmark so much on the wrong things that it drove the quality of life downwards for Singaporeans.
I totally agree with your points.Originally posted by Salman:Overall, the govt did a great job and I tend to disagree with many points brought up by Robert.
However, there are two things the govt screwed up big time.
1. The costing of PSA, insisting the high land cost assigned by the govt be passed on to shipping companies. We lost Maerks and Evervgreen in the process and gave PTP a leg up. This is absolutely stupid. The biggest screw up by the govt.
2. Ranking system for schools. They love to benchmark so much on the wrong things that it drove the quality of life downwards for Singaporeans.
Originally posted by robertteh:Come on lah, where got 90%? I will believe you if you say 10%.
90% of the populations are struggling to make ends meet. Currently the local SMEs are not doing well and have not been doing well for the past 10 years or so due to high-cost and anti-business environments created by many past policies.
Import tax on cars is a money making scam. Totally unnecessary.
There are some changes no doubt being made but many past policies essentially as you can see from the previous post like double-charging on lands and triple-taxing of vehicles are cast in stone, conceptual and full of unproven assumptions and anti-business.
This is not true. Lowering cost is not the 100% answer for growth.
The ministers do not possess the businessman entrepreneurial sense of proportions about sustainability of their government's high fees and costs.
Our tax rate is among the lowest in the world. You can try living in western countries and see how you like the taxes there.
From medical to education, utility to rental all fees are based on taxing, full recovery of cost by imposing market-value fees and charges or privatising of essential services to save government costs.
PSA is a definite screw up but high HDB prices may not be. It certainly prevented risky investments and capital flight. You have to look at it on a wider perspective.
Their past policies are badly hurting the citizens and businesses. It seems that the ministers will not admit government fees or HDB prices as high and will concede only one inch at a time only when big players like Maerks, Evergreen and Air Asia are finally hurting them big or throwing off their pet theories on values or land costs.
Not true. The govt do listen to people but not suggestions are good.
Ordinary citizens are not listened to so they could only grumble. Their only recourse is to vote with their feet causing brain drains by thousands. But the government has ignored their pleading so far and do not relent that their HDB double-charging on HDB flat prices (which citizens already owned or paid for). Too many similar top-down policies and decisions are made in self-centred (not openly debated) manner without consideration of total views about entrepreneurship or competitiveness.
If you compare Singapore govt and other countries, our govt is actually very flexible. The problem with you is, you just like to complain complain. You shld open your eyes and compare.
Therefore I am of the view that the government does not change its past policies and it looks like it will not change because of face.
Our tax rate is among the lowest in the world. You can try living in western countries and see how you like the taxes there.not quite true lehh.....our income tax is indeed low but wat about people who own cars....COE will at last go to the govt .......u do the math and u will find out that actualy its more or less the same then western countries....
Cost recovery may not always be bad, in fact its good. Its better than high taxes man.
But if you don't buy car, you don't pay COE. We have a choice, not like western countries where you have no choice. That is the difference.Originally posted by kaka_22:not quite true lehh.....our income tax is indeed low but wat about people who own cars....COE will at last go to the govt .......u do the math and u will find out that actualy its more or less the same then western countries....