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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>S'pore must guard against protectionism
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to yesterday's letter by Mr George Pasqual, "Why S'poreans must come first".
I cannot help but point out the irony of Mr Pasqual's assertion that Singaporeans pay taxes "just as rigorously as PRs". I would suggest, rather, that it is the permanent resident who pays his taxes as rigorously as, if not more than, the Singaporean. As such, because PRs do rigorously contribute to the national coffers, are they not entitled to receive government aid during an economic downturn affecting all residents?
The Singaporean economy is heavily dependent on global free trade. Indeed, the protectionist policies enacted by foreign governments during the Great Depression severely stunted economic growth internationally.
If the Singaporean Government enacts policies that discriminate against foreign workers and PRs in the midst of an international call for continuing global free trade policies, would it not amount to the protectionist policies that Singapore must avoid? Edmond Lo
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to yesterday's letter by Mr George Pasqual, "Why S'poreans must come first".
I cannot help but point out the irony of Mr Pasqual's assertion that Singaporeans pay taxes "just as rigorously as PRs". I would suggest, rather, that it is the permanent resident who pays his taxes as rigorously as, if not more than, the Singaporean. As such, because PRs do rigorously contribute to the national coffers, are they not entitled to receive government aid during an economic downturn affecting all residents?
The Singaporean economy is heavily dependent on global free trade. Indeed, the protectionist policies enacted by foreign governments during the Great Depression severely stunted economic growth internationally.
If the Singaporean Government enacts policies that discriminate against foreign workers and PRs in the midst of an international call for continuing global free trade policies, would it not amount to the protectionist policies that Singapore must avoid? Edmond Lo
