<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Why does HR summit here need foreign adviser?
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->FIRST, I applaud the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Development Agency (WDA) for organising the first Singapore Human Capital Summit 2008 to be held on Oct 22 to 24. It is heartening to note that so many CEOs and well-known HR academicians will speak at this summit, to be graced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. This augurs well for the HR profession in Singapore as the country strives to become the human capital hub of Asia. Companies have often stressed that human resources are Singapore's most important asset.
However, it is disheartening to note that the programme adviser to this summit is the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development of Britain. Why the need to engage a foreign institution - is it in pursuit of foreign talent? I am sure there is Singaporean talent who can do the job as well - or, in my view, much better as we are at the heart of HR matters in this part of the world.
Why were professional bodies such as the Singapore Human Resources Institute or Singapore Training and Development Association not given the opportunity to be programme adviser? Do the MOM and WDA think they are not worthy of consideration in such a prestigious event?
If the MOM and WDA want Singapore to be the human capital hub of Asia, it is time they engaged Singaporean HR professionals rather rely on those outside Singapore.
Liew Meow Koon
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->FIRST, I applaud the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Development Agency (WDA) for organising the first Singapore Human Capital Summit 2008 to be held on Oct 22 to 24. It is heartening to note that so many CEOs and well-known HR academicians will speak at this summit, to be graced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. This augurs well for the HR profession in Singapore as the country strives to become the human capital hub of Asia. Companies have often stressed that human resources are Singapore's most important asset.
However, it is disheartening to note that the programme adviser to this summit is the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development of Britain. Why the need to engage a foreign institution - is it in pursuit of foreign talent? I am sure there is Singaporean talent who can do the job as well - or, in my view, much better as we are at the heart of HR matters in this part of the world.
Why were professional bodies such as the Singapore Human Resources Institute or Singapore Training and Development Association not given the opportunity to be programme adviser? Do the MOM and WDA think they are not worthy of consideration in such a prestigious event?
If the MOM and WDA want Singapore to be the human capital hub of Asia, it is time they engaged Singaporean HR professionals rather rely on those outside Singapore.
Liew Meow Koon
