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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Bahrain’s Minister: FT ruling S'pore now</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>3:51 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 2) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>28209.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Bahrain’s Labor Minister: Foreign workers are now ruling Singapore
February 5, 2010 by admin
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Written by Our Correspondent
Even the tiny Gulf state of Bahrain whose economy was built chiefly by foreign migrant workers, is feeling threatened by their increasing numbers.
Speaking at a labor conference in Abu Dhabi two days ago, Bahrain’s Labor Minister Majeed al-Alawi expressed his concerns that the number of foreign workers has not declined though 50 per cent of projects in the Gulf have come to a halt. (read report here)
He described them as a “threat” to the Gulf’s existence by highlighting the fact that one million citizens in the wealthy Gulf are unemployed even though the region employs 17 million foreign workers.
The minister said the situation could become like Singapore and the Maldives, where “foreign workers had been brought on temporary contracts and are now ruling these countries.”
As a result of the Singapore government’s liberal immigration policies, foreigners now make up 36 per cent of the population, up from 14 per cent in 1990. Of the remaining 64 per cent who are citizens, an increasing number is born overseas.
Though the Gulf states depend heavily on foreign workers as well, there is a difference between the way they manage them as compared to Singapore.
Foreign workers are employed strictly only in sectors where there is a lack of local workers in the Gulf states while they are allowed to compete directly with Singaporeans for limited jobs in the labor market here.
There is a clear distinction between citizens and foreigners in the Gulf states. Foreigners will never enjoy the same benefits in healthcare, education and housing as citizens unlike in Singapore.
It is near impossible for a foreign worker to obtain a PR or citizenship in the Gulf states. They can expect to work there for years and still not get PR status.
In Singapore, PRs are given out like toilet papers liberally to any Tom, Dick and Harry including construction workers, cleaners, masseurs and even prostitutes.
Two out of every three PR applicants are successful, some of whom are accepted within a few months. Citizenships usually follow one or two years later.
The Singapore government is so desperate for immigrants that selected nationalities like Hong Kongers and Taiwanese are given “In-principle” approval of PRs when they have never set foot on the country!
Mr Alawi is not too far off the mark by saying that Singapore is now ruled by foreigners.
Judging from the callous manner in which PAP leaders have been glorifying the foreigners and denigrating Singaporeans by describing them as less “hard-driving” and “hard-striving” than them, they resemble more like foreigners than native Singaporeans.
Perhaps it is time they change the name of their party to FAP or “Foreigner Action Party”.
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February 5, 2010 by admin
Filed under Headlines
Leave a comment
Written by Our Correspondent
Even the tiny Gulf state of Bahrain whose economy was built chiefly by foreign migrant workers, is feeling threatened by their increasing numbers.
Speaking at a labor conference in Abu Dhabi two days ago, Bahrain’s Labor Minister Majeed al-Alawi expressed his concerns that the number of foreign workers has not declined though 50 per cent of projects in the Gulf have come to a halt. (read report here)
He described them as a “threat” to the Gulf’s existence by highlighting the fact that one million citizens in the wealthy Gulf are unemployed even though the region employs 17 million foreign workers.
The minister said the situation could become like Singapore and the Maldives, where “foreign workers had been brought on temporary contracts and are now ruling these countries.”
As a result of the Singapore government’s liberal immigration policies, foreigners now make up 36 per cent of the population, up from 14 per cent in 1990. Of the remaining 64 per cent who are citizens, an increasing number is born overseas.
Though the Gulf states depend heavily on foreign workers as well, there is a difference between the way they manage them as compared to Singapore.
Foreign workers are employed strictly only in sectors where there is a lack of local workers in the Gulf states while they are allowed to compete directly with Singaporeans for limited jobs in the labor market here.
There is a clear distinction between citizens and foreigners in the Gulf states. Foreigners will never enjoy the same benefits in healthcare, education and housing as citizens unlike in Singapore.
It is near impossible for a foreign worker to obtain a PR or citizenship in the Gulf states. They can expect to work there for years and still not get PR status.
In Singapore, PRs are given out like toilet papers liberally to any Tom, Dick and Harry including construction workers, cleaners, masseurs and even prostitutes.
Two out of every three PR applicants are successful, some of whom are accepted within a few months. Citizenships usually follow one or two years later.
The Singapore government is so desperate for immigrants that selected nationalities like Hong Kongers and Taiwanese are given “In-principle” approval of PRs when they have never set foot on the country!
Mr Alawi is not too far off the mark by saying that Singapore is now ruled by foreigners.
Judging from the callous manner in which PAP leaders have been glorifying the foreigners and denigrating Singaporeans by describing them as less “hard-driving” and “hard-striving” than them, they resemble more like foreigners than native Singaporeans.
Perhaps it is time they change the name of their party to FAP or “Foreigner Action Party”.
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