Govt will ensure growth benefit S'poreans: SM Goh
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SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has said the government will try to ensure that Singaporeans continue to benefit from economic growth.
Speaking at a dinner in his Marine Parade constituency organised by the merchants association, Mr Goh said attention would also be given to rising costs.
He noted that inflation for the first half of the year is expected to be four to five percent, mostly due to high prices of cars and homes.
Without these, the core inflation rate is much lower - at just two to three percent.
He said that most Singaporeans own their own homes and are not affected by high Certificates of Entitlement (COE) prices unless they are buying a car.
Still, Mr Goh called on businesses to keep prices down.
He added that measures to grow the economy and create jobs are the more important part of the Budget 2011 announced on Friday.
"Unless the economy grows in future, we're not going to have surpluses to share. So while you're very happy with the generosity of the Budget, I would myself focus on the first part, the growth element. This is the Grow and Share Budget, so we have to grow first before we can share, not just for this Budget but for the future (too)," said Mr Goh.
- CNA/ir -
Originally posted by QX179R:
SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has said the government will try to ensure that Singaporeans continue to benefit from economic growth.
Speaking at a dinner in his Marine Parade constituency organised by the merchants association, Mr Goh said attention would also be given to rising costs.
He noted that inflation for the first half of the year is expected to be four to five percent, mostly due to high prices of cars and homes.
Without these, the core inflation rate is much lower - at just two to three percent.
He said that most Singaporeans own their own homes and are not affected by high Certificates of Entitlement (COE) prices unless they are buying a car.
Still, Mr Goh called on businesses to keep prices down.
He added that measures to grow the economy and create jobs are the more important part of the Budget 2011 announced on Friday.
"Unless the economy grows in future, we're not going to have surpluses to share. So while you're very happy with the generosity of the Budget, I would myself focus on the first part, the growth element. This is the Grow and Share Budget, so we have to grow first before we can share, not just for this Budget but for the future (too)," said Mr Goh.
- CNA/ir"Will try"
