Budget Day
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wat are u expecting outta this year's budget speech?
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Wah.. didn't you post this in ChitChat also?Originally posted by FireIce:wat are u expecting outta this year's budget speech?
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alot more money to defence and quite abit to being self sufficent in waterOriginally posted by FireIce:wat are u expecting outta this year's budget speech? -
There's only a small budget surplus this year...
OR
There's a small budget deficit this year... -
i want more money pumped into defence
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It would be nice to hear the powers that be try to care for the people for a change.
Granted, there will be increases for Mindef and Home Affairs, but look for the people to be financially raped again.
A leopard does not change its spots. That is the nature of our lea-duhs. -
end of speech
the same old stuff....and quite expected......... -
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Oh F**K the defence budget.Originally posted by kopiosatu:i want more money pumped into defence
Other stat boards can't even protect civilian lives like the PUB
which don't bother to improve safety measures at danger
zones like drains and dams, and now another child drowning
due to their ignorance. Remember the dam incident which
sweet 2 kids & mum out to sea only last yr ?Bloody hell.
If in US, PUB sure kenna sue upsidedown.
Now confirm CPF 16% cap for next 2 yrs, max $5000 cap
contribution and even wants to suck the older workers blood !
Even LTA want to cut cost by killing to GPS bus tracking system
and passing the problem to the bus operators.
Our million $$$ ministers are getting too expensive for our
lousy economy. -
bullshitOriginally posted by FireIce:wat are u expecting outta this year's budget speech? -
hmm.. i think we won't live to see the day where the cpf will be fully restored since the government is so pro-business..Originally posted by Gun:Oh F**K the defence budget.
Now confirm CPF 16% cap for next 2 yrs, max $5000 cap
contribution and even wants to suck the older workers blood !
Even LTA want to cut cost by killing to GPS bus tracking system
and passing the problem to the bus operators. -
x2Originally posted by Gun:Oh F**K the defence budget.
Other stat boards can't even protect civilian lives like the PUB
which don't bother to improve safety measures at danger
zones like drains and dams, and now another child drowning
due to their ignorance. Remember the dam incident which
sweet 2 kids & mum out to sea only last yr ?Bloody hell.
If in US, PUB sure kenna sue upsidedown.
Now confirm CPF 16% cap for next 2 yrs, max $5000 cap
contribution and even wants to suck the older workers blood !
Even LTA want to cut cost by killing to GPS bus tracking system
and passing the problem to the bus operators.
Our million $$$ ministers are getting too expensive for our
lousy economy.
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yeah, wait long long man. CPF contri is getting smaller, and worstOriginally posted by Ecxentrique:hmm.. i think we won't live to see the day where the cpf will be fully restored since the government is so pro-business..
is the avg gov HDB cost is not ! Many of their CPF is tied to the
HDB loan. With falling income, increasing GST and lousy
property rate, many pple, especially the pensioners are sitting
on a negative asset. Bye bye to that CPF golden egg.
On the defence budget, just check on the MOF report on 2002
expenditure by Mindef
[u]BUDGET FOR 2002[/u]
Operating Expenditure of Mindef :
The revised FY2002 operating expenditure is higher than actual FY2001 expenditure by $0.99 billion or 5.3%. The increase is attributed mainly to MINDEF ($0.61 billion) and MOE ($0.11 billion). MINDEFÂ’s increase is due to overseas purchases and higher operating costs. MOEÂ’s increase is due to the full implementation of the Education Service Professional Development and Career Plan.
What is "higher operating costs" ?
Remember a report on a gov internal audit about unknown lost of $$$ in this Ministry ? (> $10m ?) -
You know I was just thinking, I've heard so many negative comments about our government. Not just here, but through friends, and of course, the media.
I'm not about to, nor have the knowledge to rebutt these comments, but I'm really baffled as to what they are actually doing right. I'm sure they've gotta be doing SOMETHING right, right?
Am I to believe that the govt is totally useless? Hell, if that's the case book the next flight out for me, I'm going back to live in Australia. -
It is common that people will praise or hate the budget allocation. A common issue throughout the world.
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They did something right in the past...
The old guard comprised of people who were Ordinary Joes, who fought hard to correct an injustice, for the good of their fellow-citizens. They saw the hardships and experienced it firsthand.
Now, the only thing they are doing right is for the continuation of the 1 party rule.. and the idiot opposition is not helping..
What the current lot of lea-duhs come from speaks volumes... some of them come from pampered backgrounds with platinum spoons attached to their mouths.. these are people who have never taken public transport in their lives, never seen how the common man lives, and how the common man struggles.
Power like this, isolates the powerful from the ordinary. And when isolated, they lose touch with what is real and important for the common man.
Can a man who is retrenched from his $850 a month wage be fed by a 2% increase in GDP? Can his family eat the World's Best Airport Award?
There is no voice of opposition (apologies to Chaim and Low but that is the reality) so everything conceived by our lea-duhs is rubber stamped.
If you have a place in Australia, do go there... maybe one day, my girl and I will look you up
Originally posted by jOhO:You know I was just thinking, I've heard so many negative comments about our government. Not just here, but through friends, and of course, the media.
I'm not about to, nor have the knowledge to rebutt these comments, but I'm really baffled as to what they are actually doing right. I'm sure they've gotta be doing SOMETHING right, right?
Am I to believe that the govt is totally useless? Hell, if that's the case book the next flight out for me, I'm going back to live in Australia. -
So it's that bad huh?Originally posted by the Bear:They did something right in the past...
The old guard comprised of people who were Ordinary Joes, who fought hard to correct an injustice, for the good of their fellow-citizens. They saw the hardships and experienced it firsthand.
Now, the only thing they are doing right is for the continuation of the 1 party rule.. and the idiot opposition is not helping..
What the current lot of lea-duhs come from speaks volumes... some of them come from pampered backgrounds with platinum spoons attached to their mouths.. these are people who have never taken public transport in their lives, never seen how the common man lives, and how the common man struggles.
Power like this, isolates the powerful from the ordinary. And when isolated, they lose touch with what is real and important for the common man.
Can a man who is retrenched from his $850 a month wage be fed by a 2% increase in GDP? Can his family eat the World's Best Airport Award?
There is no voice of opposition (apologies to Chaim and Low but that is the reality) so everything conceived by our lea-duhs is rubber stamped.
If you have a place in Australia, do go there... maybe one day, my girl and I will look you up
Yes my parents are there, and i spent a great deal of my life there. 12 years.
I intend to go back eventually. Even if I do succeed here, I will most likely "semi-retire" there like my dad did (he was in his 40's). If things don't go well, I can be there a day after I decide to leave.
I just feel sad that with each passing day, Singapore seems to be sinking lower and lower, and for some reason I keep looking ahead for a spark of hope.
Yes do look me up, it's always a joy to meet up with Singaporeans in a foreign country. Perhaps to discuss how our fellow countrymen back home are still suffering in silence? -
Yes. Any fiscal policy will be critisis regardless of how perfectOriginally posted by warriar:It is common that people will praise or hate the budget allocation. A common issue throughout the world.
any gov tries. The problem comes when these $$$ are being
allocated or channeled based on justifications that many has come
to question its true intend. Is it to serve the people, to government
or simply to enrich a few well-connected indivudual ?
Take one example of the chopping of the Bus Travel Information
System by LTA in a single boardmeet. Didn't LTA head realise that
he/she is running a PUBLIC office and NOT a private one ?
Why the sudden and behind-door decision making without public
feedback? Whatever happened to the informous PTC (Public
Transport Council, http://www.ptc.gov.sg) which is supposed to be
part of the group responsible for feedback on Singapore's
transportation issue ? Were the council informed by LTA of their
decision to past the buck to the public operators ?
In fact, today's ST reported a different story from maker of this
system, Stratech Systems, whose executive chairman ,Mr Chew
says "there were no problems with the software for its Bus Travel
Information System, or transit.smart and NO issue with the
technology used. Instead, he blame in on commercial concerns and difficulties faced in coordinating work with the LTA and the two bus companies, SBS Transit and Trans-Island Bus Services (Tibs). He gave a parting shot :
"Everybody is doing what they are supposed to do - protecting their
own turf."
So some folks thanks of migrating simply that they are fedup with
to lack of commitment by the so-called governemnt-feedback
bodies?. I can't blame these "quiters". -
MRT, LRT, SBS, TIBS – are these PRIVATE Companies?
Where is the source of their capital?
Which Final Authority does the Public Transport Council and LTA answer to?
When all the answers lead back to ONE source, is there any need for any further cosmetic consultations before decisions are made.
Whatever policies are made, it is to keep this island ticking, so that money can be taken out of circulation from the Citizens wallet, and into the final treasury of the G.I.C., which manages the reserves of Singapore.
Some of the Political Leaders from the First Guard has warned in the 1970’s and 1980’s about the culture of “MONEYTHEISM” – the relentless pursuit of money.
It was supposedly aim at the population at large, but in the end it seems to be directed at the Government itself for its relentless pursuit of blowing up this bubble economy.
A bubble economy that could not resist the pin prick of world events, and shattered in 1985, 1987 and again in 1997, and now again in 2002.
Should the Opposition be blamed for inaction? Should they?
Remember, we – the Citizens – are led to believe that there is a dearth of talent in Singapore; and whatever little talent there is, have been scooped up by the Ruling Political Party.
The remaining few in Opposition are supposed to be the laggards of the Talent Pool – so the propaganda machine has got this message across, each time when any Opposition dare to challenge the established line of thought.
Even those few "talented" Members from the Opposition, who have been elected into Parliament, are NOT to interfere in Matters of State, which is supposed to be in the hands of the Very Talented Few with the brains to handle such issues of the State and Matters relating to the International Scene.
Those Members of Parliament (from both sides of the Political Divide) elected to Parliament are NOT to interfere in Matters of the State, but to look after its IMMEDIATE Constituencies – on Conservancy Issues, Block Upgrading and Maintenance, keeping the drains clean and HDB Lifts working, attending to the immediate needs of the residence.
Any matters beyond such defined areas of responsibilities – including local transportation to the Constituencies – do not even involve the Member of Parliament for that affected Constituencies.
The Talented Few that are elected to Parliament, and take over Cabinet Posts, will be paid Million Dollar Salary; BUT most of the work is done by an army of younger researchers, engineers, thinkers, secretaries, clerks, accountants, and administrators - all of whom are paid less than a fraction of the Million Dollar Ministerial Salary.
When Singapore economy is doing well, it is due to the efficient policies of the Million Dollar Ministers.
However, when the Singapore economy is not doing so well, it is blamed on World Events that have affected all sectors of the Singapore Economy.
Yet, the success of SingaporeÂ’s Economy during the Good Times is NOT attributed to the events of the World at Large, but due to the intelligent policies of the Million Dollar Ministers.
When World Events caused the Singapore economy to crash, with large structural changes that result in massive job losses, the Million Dollar Ministers have no solutions to stave off the situation.
Are they not supposed to be the Talented Few from a limited pool of 4.5 million Singaporeans? The Very Best from the a very limited pool of Singaporean Talents?
It seems that talent only exist in the Talented Few, and extend to family members who then occupy High Paying Seats in the Boards of Directors of GLC’s – in which remuneration also run in Million Dollars with stock and bonds options.
At one time, it was reported that our Senior Minister had admired the Japanese Corporate Management style - as the Chairman or CEO will take FULL RESPONSIBILITY for the poor performance and failures of the Corporation, and will resign from the Company. There was no shifting of blame and responsibilities attributed to others.
SingaporeÂ’s economy is a small fraction of the Japanese Economy, and comparable to the turnover of the biggest Japanese Conglomerate.
We have seen the failures of GLCÂ’s investments, as well as Government Policies, and yet the Ministers and / or CEO remained and even got elevated to higher posts.
Is the Opposition to be blamed for these events?
Certainly, an emphatic - NO.
It is the Singapore Citizens who should be blamed for being parochial to their own immediate interests, and for expecting everything placed on the plate before them.
What has the Singapore Citizens done to cultivate and nurture the supposed “Lower Talent” into a Higher Performing Opposition, who can represent their interest, as an Alternative Fall Back measure?
The culture of fear and self-survival takes priority, and with such a mentality being encouraged by the Political Party that is in power.
Three cheers for “Kiasuism” and “Kiasi-ism”.
Singaporeans harvest what they sow, and deserves the fruits of their non-labor or labor. -
budget deficit means........increases in prices...
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Originally posted by jOhO:You know I was just thinking, I've heard so many negative comments about our government. Not just here, but through friends, and of course, the media.
I'm not about to, nor have the knowledge to rebutt these comments, but I'm really baffled as to what they are actually doing right. I'm sure they've gotta be doing SOMETHING right, right?
Am I to believe that the govt is totally useless? Hell, if that's the case book the next flight out for me, I'm going back to live in Australia.
Well, it has come so far. Just by comparing with other countries we know we are living in a great country. But people always keep asking for more. Some of these things about economy are very hard to tackle because it's unstructured and no one has ever dealt with them before because every new crisis is unique. Consequences are hard to predict.
We must be grateful at least for the time being, even though life is hard. -
Originally posted by Peppermint:budget deficit means........increases in prices... Inflation. Even when the inflation was implemented there was still deficit. I really don't know what to say already. Any economist around??
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yup.I'm an economist..in macro actually..Originally posted by Parka: Inflation. Even when the inflation was implemented there was still deficit. I really don't know what to say already. Any economist around??
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Originally posted by Master -_-:yup.I'm an economist..in macro actually.. Haha. Me studying it as a subject now. Chim.
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No leh.. Quite easy wat. I prefer macro more than micro.
