Satanic Verses

[Erudio]

So it happen...the FTs are being co-opted

You ignore them or attack them at your peril. Because their votes may well swing against you.

So, do consider their impact and work with them, just as they are working with you, to make a life in this country.

dats not my pt ...

think abt it, the evil PAP didn't campaign n win the GE on a ticket to open door wide to FT. In fact, PAP cult didn't even mention it during GE, but use James Gomez smoke screen ....

so since PAP cowards dun wanna hv the FT voice as part of their mandate, Y put a NMP to speak fer FT in parliament?

But of course wat u say is stng fer the Oppo to think abt, how NOT TO ignore the new citizens n immigrants? But the issue is never abt "Getting FT into SG" but abt "Replacing locals wif FT"

 

[Erudio]

Can organize religious men to pray fer ENTERTAINMENT but NEVER fer the poor n desperate (instead ask the poor n old to do live n die in Johor) .... focking evil PAP cronies !!!!

So another eg to show the real motive fer satanic PAP to tock non stop abt multi-faith cooperation ... to use religion as PAP PROPAGANDA TOOL !!!!! May the devils in PAP be struck down into Hell n burn !!!!!

Prayers for a safe race weekend
Posted: 12 September 2008 1208 hrs

SINGAPORE : Three weeks from now, the world’s fastest cars will be flying down the 5km Marina Bay street circuit here hitting top speeds of 300kmh.

It will be the first time Formula 1 drivers will be racing at night under the glare of lights.

Safety concerns have never been far away in the build up to the 2008 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix on September 28.

Toyota’s Jarno Trulli said last week in Belgium he was a little uneasy after the spate of wet weather here.

Maybe after organisers Singapore GP’s blessing ceremony of the track on Thursday, everyone can rest easy.

Representatives from 10 religious groups in Singapore conducted prayers for a successful and safe race here from September 26-28.

The idea was the brainchild of Singapore GP deputy chairman Colin Syn, who said: “We are a multi-cultural society and this is something that we are accustomed to here. I believe getting all the religions involved to pray for a safe weekend is a good thing.”

Earlier, Singapore GP chairman Teo Hock Seng gave TODAY a tour of the track and pointed out some of the safety features of the street circuit. He also revealed why the track was designed as an anti-clockwise circuit.

The main consideration, Teo said, was safety. “If you look at the last turn before the start-finish straight, it is quite a tight corner,” said Teo. “Had we designed it as the first turn, the start of the race would have been hazardous because the turn there does not allow us to design a safe run-off area for drivers.

“It is a short distance to the beach and there is simply no space to build one.”

Organisers expect at least 100,000 fans to turn up for the race and Teo gave an assurance that they all can look forward to an exciting outing, as plans have been put in place to ensure everyone’s needs are met.

“There are a lot of F&B outlets around the track and they are pretty affordable. I think the fans are going to enjoy themselves, we want everyone to enjoy themselves,” said Teo. - TODAY/il

 

[kakowi]

....Named as one of nine new Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) last night, Mr Banerjee wants to be a link between 'old' and 'new' Singaporeans.

He wants to raise issues like how to attract top talent from overseas to sink roots here.

'I can contribute by giving a sense of how foreigners look at Singapore, what they consider before moving here, or investing here,' said Mr Banerjee, who also sits on various public committees like the National Heritage Board's audit committee.

I was referring to the welcoming of FTs...in bold above....effectively an official welcome from a MP

 

[Erudio]

I was referring to the welcoming of FTs...in bold above....effectively an official welcome from a MP

Dun worry bro, i know wat u r saying, just adding on ....

 

[Erudio]

Hike for direct comuters fr Oct 1 2008 .....

Old fare 67cts, new fare 71cts, %increase = 5.9%
Old fare 109cts, new fare 113cts, %increase = 3.6%
Old fare 129cts, new fare 133cts, %increase = 3.1%
Old fare 158cts, new fare 167cts, %increase = 5.7%

"Below 1%" indeed. Gerald Ee n the entire PTC board, i command thy souls to burn in the depths of Hell eternal !!!!!!!!!!!!

Spread the news ... expose the lies !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aug 2, 2008
Transport operators seek nod for fare hikes
PTC aims to keep any rise 'below 1%'; its decision to be made known in Sept
By Christopher Tan, Senior Correspondent

TRANSPORT operators SBS Transit and SMRT Corp yesterday submitted their applications for fare hikes, but insiders are not expecting any significant increase this year.

This is because the Public Transport Council (PTC) declared last month that fare adjustments this year will likely be smaller than last year's average increase of 1.8 per cent.

PTC chairman Gerard Ee revealed that the council would aim to keep any rise 'below one per cent'.

In a statement yesterday, SBS Transit said it is applying to raise bus and train fares because fuel and energy costs have 'increased significantly in the last year'.

It is, however, proposing to keep concession, child and student fares unchanged.

SMRT indicated that even raising fares by 3 per cent 'would not fully mitigate cost increases due to an inflationary and higher operating cost environment'.

The company, which posted a record net profit of $150 million last year, added that 'the operating environment continues to be challenging'.

While the PTC's decision will be announced only next month, indications are that commuters who make transfers - from train to bus, or bus to train, or bus to bus - will incur less travel expenses when the new fare structure kicks in on Oct 1.

The Government has decided that fares should be purely distance-based, regardless of whether a journey involves transfers. Under the current system, a commuter who makes transfers pays more than someone taking a direct but possibly longer route.

SMRT said it supports going for a distance-based fare structure.

Commuters who use direct services may thus foot the bulk of the fare adjustment. Four in 10 commuters now make at least one transfer a day.

As with before, the fare adjustment is likely to hit commuters who pay in cash the hardest.

The current fare system 'recognises' transfer trips through the ez-link fare card. When a commuter takes a bus within a certain time frame after having taken a train or vice versa, the system reads it as a transfer and charges him less for it.

However, the system has no way of knowing if it is a transfer when the commuter pays cash.

On the whole, however, the PTC has committed to keep the average fare hike to one per cent or less.

 

[Erudio]

N wat is Satan Lee's idea of the "successful" showing compassion ??? Like removing Estate Duty (Death Tax) on the rich which cld hv been used to help the poor n struggling middle class? Or fer evil PAP ministars to hike n hike n hike their salaries while increase GST, then get his CB (Cheap Bread) son to wayang n donate his hike fer 5 yrs to selected charities?? Or by showing leniency to the "successful" in court while locking up poor peasants fer yrs, n giving 'em more canning than sentenced??

<img src="http://photoshack.com/albums/userpics/12247/Satan_Lee_Death_Bed.jpg" width="800" height="562">

ST Sep 14, 2008
MM keeps date with forum
He says the successful must care about the less well-off to ensure a cohesive society

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew was warded for an abnormal heart rhythm at the Singapore General Hospital yesterday.

But despite being hospitalised, he managed to keep his date with the Global UBS Philanthropy Forum last night, addressing the 200 participants at the Arts House via video link.

In his five-minute speech, he stressed the importance of successful individuals giving back to society, to ensure that a widening income gap does not lead to a society losing cohesiveness.

He began by apologising to the audience of social entrepreneurs and civil society representatives for not being able to be with them in person.

'Unlike Kim Jong Il who says he is well but has not appeared, I thought I'd better say hello to you and to your guests and apologise for not being able to join you,' Mr Lee quipped, referring to the reclusive North Korean leader who missed the country's 60th anniversary celebrations last week, reportedly because he had a stroke.

A statement from his office said Mr Lee experienced atrial flutter yesterday morning, an abnormal heart rhythm not uncommon among people of his age. He turns 85 on Tuesday.

Speaking from his hospital room, he told the forum: 'They have put it right, but they want to keep on monitoring me tonight to make sure it stays right.'

On the issue of philanthropy, he noted that this was one of the keys to the health of American society. Many successful entrepreneurs there, for example, Bill and Melinda Gates, and investor Warren Buffett, use their wealth to give the poor a leg up.

Mr Lee cited a recent meeting he had with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, during which he asked the billionaire what he planned to do with his wealth.

'He said, 'My children will not need it. I am giving them just enough to get them started, the rest is going to charity'.'

'Asia must go that way if we are to keep our societies in one piece,' said Mr Lee.

This is because in today's globalised marketplace, the income gap is widening and it could take 10 to 20 years before the less successful catch up.

During that period, 'unless the successful show that they have compassion, sympathy, empathy for the less successful, it will be difficult to keep the cohesiveness of society together'.

This is especially so for big countries like China and India, where rapid economic development has widened the gap between the haves and have-nots.

The philanthropy rate in Singapore, measured as a proportion of gross domestic product, is only a fraction that of the United States', noted Mr Lee, adding that the government is trying to increase it for instance by giving donations double tax deductions.

'If we don't have the successful showing that they care for the welfare of the unsuccessful, it is difficult to keep the Singapore team together,' he said.

MM Lee is expected to resume his normal schedule within the next few days, said the Prime Minister's Office.

 

[Erudio]

'ERP in KPE to save lives' Teo jock strap Shit Luck parl 16 Sep 2008 explaining Y disabled not given as much $$ as normal athlete :

"Paralympians can join Olympics, Olympians can't join Paralympics."

Disabled athletes can compete n win in Olympics !!!! Wow !!! Tock abt mother of all jokes !!! May b Tao Li shld hv chop off her legs, sure win Gold !!!! May B ping pong girls shld cut off both arms, sure get gold medal in straight sets man !!!

Focking PAP moron cultist !!!

 

[Erudio]

Ho Pai Kia, tock cock, bull shit, lie, end up slap himself wif contradictions !!! N he's a focking professor !!!! SG 'talent' really no class man !!!

ST Sep 17, 2008
Why PCF's event got permit but not WP's
Ho Peng Kee explains why the two events were treated differently

A PAP Community Foundation (PCF) event last month at which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong cycled a short distance was 'definitely not of the same order' as one the Workers' Party (WP) tried to hold last year, Parliament heard yesterday.

The event by the PCF, which is registered as a charity, had a 'family day setting' and was focused on community service, Senior Minister of State (Home Affairs) Ho Peng Kee told the House.

He said this when explaining the police's rationale for granting a permit for the event at West Coast Park, and not for a WP mass cycling event which the opposition party wanted to hold at East Coast Park to mark its 50th anniversary.

Non-Constituency MP and WP chairman Sylvia Lim wanted an explanation, while Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong asked if there was any change to rules for outdoor events by political parties and affiliated organisations.

The perceived difference in treatment that the two events received has also been the subject of discussion in newspaper forums and on the Internet.

Associate Professor Ho said the position on outdoor political events remained unchanged.

The police will not grant permits for such events 'due to the assessed potential for public disorder which politically-driven events can lead to, even when this is not intended by the organisers'.

On why a permit was granted for the Aug 31 PCF event which saw PM Lee take part in a cycling activity, he started by explaining it was 'not a cycling event but a Family Day Carnival'.

'The only cycling was when the Prime Minister and the other special guests made their entrance by cycling a short distance from where the Prime Minister had alighted from his car to the stage.'

So bystander wont stir up trouble fer Loong n Sin Han Tong n other PAP cultist who was there?

It was also 'not organised by a political party but a registered charity'.

While affiliated to the People's Action Party, 'the PCF has remained completely non-political since its set-up in 1986', he said, adding that its activities include running kindergartens and childcare centres and raising funds for charitable causes.

Affiliated means political lah !!!

'The authorities considered the family day setting and community service focus of the event, as well as the status of PCF as a registered charity, and did not object to the event as the policy of disallowing outdoor political events did not apply in this situation,' he said.

Nominated MP Eunice Olsen - who asked Mr Siew's question on his behalf as he is overseas for work - recalled that Prof Ho said last year that the reason for a ban on outdoor activities by political parties was that people may stop politicians and debate on issues with them, and this could result in problems.

'Do such risks not also apply to other events organised by the PCF, which explicitly declares it is an arm of the PAP?' she asked, noting that the PCF's logo incorporates the PAP's symbol.

Replied Prof Ho: 'It's quite different for a political party under its own banner to organise an event where it espouses a political cause, talking about issues that are close to the hearts. Some Singaporeans will agree, disagree.

'As we have seen in other countries, when you do this, because politics can create emotive feelings, passion...you may not intend it, but then there may be bystanders who may stir up the situation.'

Yah lor !!! U say so wat, others give trouble, some people may riot n box Seng Han Tong, then strip Loong naked top do monkey dance, how !?!?!?

But an examination of the PCF's track record 'shows very clearly it does not engage in politics, it does not discuss political issues', he said.

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang), the WP secretary-general, then rose to dispute this. He asked Prof Ho to cast his mind back to 1991, when the PCF 'threatened to withdraw and close down kindergartens in opposition wards'.

'Is that not political?' he asked.

Prof Ho responded: 'There's no denying that in terms of affiliation, the PCF is affiliated to the PAP. But in terms of the focus of activities, it is non-political.

Oh dear ..... *slap* himself .......... WP can say the focus of their cycling is not political in nature but fer health n camaraderie wat !!!!

'I think it's quite natural therefore, that in terms of services offered to the people of Hougang, which made a decision, there is a withdrawal of the services. The services themselves, surely Mr Low cannot say are political in nature.'

 

[Erudio]

Ah x q me, some one call mata pls !!! PAP PM n MP + residents = riot !!!! Wah, pls some body save CB (Cheap Bread) Loong b4 he kena whack n say he can C the MRT fr KPE !!!!

Loong, MPs, n the grassroots dogs may be well-behaving, but there may be residents whom they come invite when they tour the KPE who may stop them, may want to debate with them and that may attract a crowd, and therefore will result in problems the police want to avoid. They may not intend it, but then there may be residents who may stir up the situation !!!!

Profesorri Ho Pai Kia !! Where R U ???? Very political leh !!!

ST Sep 20, 2008
Relief at last, as KPE opens
New expressway cuts travel time from north to the city by up to 25%

excerpt ...........

A MAJOR milestone in Singapore's road network will be crossed this morning, with the opening of an expressway given the job of easing congestion between downtown and the north.

The 12km-long Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE), with 9km running underground as South-east Asia's longest underground tunnel, connects the Tampines Expressway to East Coast Parkway.

....

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who declared the KPE open last night before a crowd of 750 Land Transport Authority (LTA) officials, grassroots leaders, Members of Parliament and residents, restated the Government's commitment to investing billions of dollars to improve the road network here.

Mr Lee pointed out, however, that road building cannot keep pace with the growth in number of vehicles indefinitely. Nearly 900,000 vehicles jostle for space on the roads now, with the figure growing by 3 per cent a year.

'Fundamentally, we have only a limited amount of land in Singapore. Roads already take up 12 per cent of our total land area,' he noted.

Roads could be built underground, like the KPE, he said, but such roads cost 10 times more to build and 30 times more to maintain.

The solution, therefore, was to use a combination of 'unpopular' vehicle ownership measures like the certificate of entitlement and vehicle-usage measures like ERP.

'I know it hurts motorists to pay each time they pass an ERP gantry, but there is no easy solution to managing traffic congestion,' he said.

SO THE FOCKING ERP IS A "EASY SOLUTION" HAH U FOCKING SPWAN OF SATAN !!!!!!

 

[Erudio]

'Old people shld die in Johor' Cow Dung Want ST 20 Sep 2008 on the need to give ever better service to foreign patients bcus they expct it :

"We (foreign patients) are grateful for something the first time we experience it, but after a few more encounters, we get used to it as the norm. They call it the French vanilla effect: The first taste is heaven; by the sixth mouthful, it no longer thrills."

So who the fock is gonna X-subsidize tis ever better service fer the foreign patients ???? Peasants' $$ n lives !!!!! N look at the way he identify him self wif the FOREIGN patients !!!! Burn n b fock by Satan in Hell Cow Dung !!!!

 

[Erudio]

Acting ministars of manpower Gan Ni Na ST 20 Sep 2008 :

"We recognise Singaporeans' concern and anxiety about having more foreign workers among us. That is understandable. The key is to find ways to address such concerns so that the impact on our local population is managed. On the job front, we have to make sure that there are new jobs created for Singaporeans, that they continue to remain employed. On the social front, we have to ensure that we manage the ground so that the impact on the society is manageable."

Ah !!! The focking maggot who lie in Parl abt number of foreign students in Unis, tock cock again. Y not tell peasants tt the satanic PAP definition of "Singaporeans" include new citizens n PRs !!!!! Get fock n eaten by maggots in Hell Mr Liar !!!

 

[Erudio]

RHETORIC ..........................

June 23, 2008
Singapore scores high on land use and water
Next target: Cut energy use
Minister Mah suggests reduction of 20%-30%; people will need to rethink how they use electricity

SINGAPORE has to work harder at cutting down energy usage - perhaps by 20 per cent to 30 per cent, as countries around the world increasingly emphasise sustainable development.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who said this, noted that Singapore has scored relatively well on the water and land usage fronts.

'But I think (on) energy, we've not done enough. I think we need to do more,' he said in an interview with The Straits Times.

There would have to be a multifaceted approach taken, he noted.

Singaporeans, as consumers, also have to play their part in understanding the amount of energy that their various appliances use up, and going for energy-saving versions, he added.

'So I think we need to go into the details of each and every one of these items, and see how we can cut down energy usage 20 per cent, 30 per cent,' said Mr Mah.

His remarks come as the inaugural three-day World Cities Summit - co-organised by his ministry - kicks off today.

More than 700 policymakers, governors, urban planners and environmentalists from various countries are gathering at the Suntec Convention Centre, where the concept of 'sustainable development' will be in the limelight.

It is 'one of those terms that people use without knowing the meaning', noted Mr Mah, who defined it as such: 'It's how do we continue to grow in a way that doesn't adversely affect our living environment.'

Certainly, there are challenges as Singapore seeks to cut down on its energy usage, he conceded.

'Upfront costs may be a bit higher, but we have to (do it), if it makes practical sense. And (whether) the payback period is two, three, five, seven years, whatever, if this makes sense, then we have to do it,' he said.

'How many taxes, how many incentives are there, what are the things we need? I think these are things that we need to sit down and discuss.'

These are details that an inter-ministerial committee - co-chaired by Mr Mah and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim - is thrashing out.

It will be rolling out a 10-year roadmap next year on how Singapore can adopt green solutions in transport, housing and industry.

While Singapore has done 'fairly well over the last 40, 50 years', it faces new challenges in terms of resource constraints - energy, water, and land - as it tries to maintain growth, said Mr Mah.

Said Mr Mah: 'Now we've got to look at energy. How do we save energy? How do we make better use of energy? How can we, can we recycle energy?'

REALITY ..........................

Sep 19, 2008
City skyline to get new night glow
23 buildings in Marina Bay, CBD submit lighting proposals to the Govt

A NEW city skyline will arise over the next couple of years when 23 buildings turn on the lights at night.

Maybank, The Sail condo and the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort are among the buildings that have sent lighting proposals to the Government. The plans include how they will illuminate their roofs or accentuate their facades.

This light-up is part of Singapore's plan to create a night buzz for a distinctive city, said Mrs Cheong Hoon Kean, chief executive officer of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

Speaking to The Straits Times ahead of the Formula One night race next week, she said: 'We can look forward to a signature night skyline in the next couple of years, when the buildings in Marina Bay and Central Business District (CBD) are completed and external lighting is installed.' Beautiful lighting will create 'a captivating night scene that enhances our city's appeal', she added.

An artist's rendering of the reborn skyline was completed yesterday, piecing together the 23 lighting proposals.

The buildings appear subtly illuminated, not flooded with light.

Good lighting, Mrs Cheong said, is not about being the brightest or flashiest. Asian cities tend to be over-lit, she added, but this is not Singapore's ethos.

The underlying principle is to stay 'elegant and tasteful, and sensitive to a building's architecture', she said. 'Look at Paris, the romantic City of Lights.'

According to URA officials, elegant lighting should bring out the architectural design elements of a building. So, the emphasis includes illumination of the roof or crown of the building, and lighting walkways on the first storey to create spaces ideal for outdoor activities.

Lights can also be programmable. Day-to-day lighting can be 'a little bit more calm', Mrs Cheong said. The look can be 'celebratory' for festive seasons.

Building owners are hiring lighting experts like Mr Bo Steiber to give their properties a glow at night. The founder of Bo Steiber Lighting Design is lighting up the new tower of OUB Centre at 1, Raffles Place.

His earlier work includes illuminating Shanghai's Xintiandi lifestyle and nightlife district, and the Esplanade's Theatres on the Bay.

The Swede, a Singapore permanent resident, said his energy-efficient lighting of OUB Centre will 'accentuate the tower's angular, linear, diamond features'. He lauded the URA's 'good initiative' to beautify the skyline.

The URA's Lighting Masterplan was introduced in 2006. To encourage more buildings in Marina Bay and the CBD to light up, incentives were rolled out. New developments and buildings being revamped can get as much as 2 per cent additional gross floor area if they light up.

Cash incentives from a $10 million fund to offset the capital costs of new lighting are also granted, particularly for existing structures.

The URA also had a night lighting plan in 1995 for the civic district, the cultural and historical heart of the city. Some 90 per cent of the buildings, bridges and public spaces there were lit.

 

[Erudio]

Nice try DOS (Disguise Obscured Secrets) !!! How many so call citizens R new citizens over the past 5 - 10 yrs !!!! Burn in Hell focker !!!!

Sep 20, 2008
Number of S'pore citizens growing

WE REFER to the letter 'Is the population of Singapore citizens shrinking?' on Thursday. Mr Michael Eng asked about the growth rate and number of Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents in 2006 and last year, and whether the population of Singapore citizens is shrinking.

The number of Singapore citizens has been growing. Last year, the number of Singapore citizens stood at 3.13 million, about 0.8 per cent higher than the 3.11 million recorded in 2006. The number of permanent residents was 0.45 million last year, an increase from 0.42 million in 2006.

Lim Yin
Assistant Director
(Population Statistics)
Department of Statistics

 

[Erudio]

MEGALOMANIA !!!!!!!!!

PM Lee opens KPE, unveils commemorative book
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 19 September 2008 1955 hrs

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday officially opened Phase 2 of the 12-kilometre long Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway or KPE.

The KPE is Southeast Asia's longest underground expressway.

It marks the completion of another major land transport infrastructure in Singapore.

Built at a cost of S$1.7 billion, the expressway is expected to reduce travel time in the northeast corridor by up to 25 per cent.

Mr Lee also unveiled the KPE commemorative book titled "Building Singapore's Longest Road Tunnel - The KPE Story".

The book highlights the construction challenges and the people behind the project.

Apart from the KPE, future road projects include the Marina Coastal Expressway and the North-South Expressway which will cost over
S$10 billion.

The government will also spend another S$3 billion over the next five years on smaller projects such as road widening and extensions to relieve local bottlenecks.

On managing road usage, Mr Lee said the government needs to apply vehicle ownership and road usage measures to keep traffic free-flowing.

He explained the approach cannot be to solely limit the number of cars in Singapore through the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) scheme.

He said the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) scheme is still needed because each car is making more trips.

The ERP, said Mr Lee, ensures that road users take into account the costs of congestion when they choose to drive. Without the ERP, he said Singapore roads will be choked.

The entire 12km-long KPE opens to traffic at 10am on Saturday.

- CNA/ir

 

[Erudio]

Ministars of Hell Cow Dung Want TODAY 20 Sep 2008 :

“If it is difficult to satisfy customers in the healthcare sector, it is even tougher in the subsidised public healthcare sector”

N who R the customers in the "subsidized public healthcare sector" ?? Peasants, esp the lower middle class n poor aunties n uncles ....... May U get fock in 18th level Hell Cow Dung !!!!

 

[Erudio]

Higher rental (impose by gov n PAP cronies biz) +

Higher food price (GST hike) + Higher salary (inflation ower buying power) +

Turncoat fork tongue Vivian say childcare fee hike for better service

= Childcare fee lan lan hike to SERVICE higher rental n gov induced inflation to benefit evil PAP n cronies !!!

Evil satanic PAP !!!!

ST Sep 21, 2008
Childcare subsidy up - fees also up?
Many centres may charge more, citing rising costs in rent, food and salaries

The joy for parents has been short-lived.

Last month, they cheered when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced higher childcare subsidies in his National Day Rally speech.

Monthly subsidies for working mothers were doubled from $150 to $300 a child. Infant-care subsidies went up from $400 to $600.

But parents have since found out that many childcare centres are planning to increase fees.

The average monthly fees for childcare and infant care now are $684 and $1,184 respectively. A Sunday Times check with 20 childcare centres found that all but three intend to charge $30 to $120 more a month.

Some PCF Sparkletots childcare centres, for example, said there are plans to raise fees though a final decision has not been made yet. The 30 centres, run by PAP Community Foundation, charge a median fee of about $450 now. But NTUC Childcare, the biggest operator with 39 centres, said it will not charge more.

On online forums, parents have described the hike as an opportunistic move.

One parent, Mr Ronnie Tan, wrote to The Straits Times last Thursday when he learnt that almost all the childcare centres near his home are revising fees.

'With childcare centres increasing fees, there are no savings for parents,' wrote the 36-year-old human resource manager, who has two sons.

He wrote: 'Will the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) stop childcare centres from increasing their fees as a result of the increase in the childcare subsidy?'

However, on its website, MCYS said it does not control fees but requires centres to give at least a month's notice prior to any fee increase.

Last month, MCYS announced plans to ramp up the quality of the 748 childcare centres here. This includes introducing a common curriculum and having better-trained teachers.

The Government will give up to $21 million a year, by 2013, to help eligible not-for-profit centres upgrade. But private operators have to fend for themselves.

When contacted by The Sunday Times, childcare centres said escalating costs - in rental, food and salaries - have driven them to up fees.

Take the case of MacPherson Sheng Hong Childcare Centre, run by the Society of Sheng Hong Welfare Services. Its monthly rent has gone up from $25,000 to $36,000 in the last three years. Last year, it incurred a deficit of more than $500,000.

With the adjustment in monthly fees for full-day care from $450 to $550, principal Wendy Tan said she hopes the centre will be able to cope. 'We can't be in the red all the time,' she said.

At a media conference last month, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, described the increase in childcare fees as 'unavoidable'.

'If you want better services, you want more convenient services, there will be inevitably some increase in cost, which the operators will also have to cope with,' he said. He added that the significant increases in subsidies should be enough to offset the fee hike.

But Mr Tan and his wife have done their calculations and found out otherwise. With the $150 subsidy now, they have to cough up $647 for their four-year-old son's childcare fees.

But since the centre is closing, they have to find a new one soon. One in Sengkang they are considering has upped its fees to $995. Even taking into account the $300 subsidy, which kicks in only next year, they will have to fork out $695 on their own.

In two years' time, their younger son, now two, will enrol in a childcare centre too.

Said mum Annie Tan, 35, a financial adviser: 'This will be a huge financial burden. We were planning to have two more kids. But now we may need to reconsider.'

 

[Erudio]

Ah, the lowly rank propaganda times at it again. Interesting !! Inflation slight drop of 0.1 % to 6.4%, so report it. But Consumer Price Index up 0.2% keep quiet .... like that how to b credible !!!!

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/news/news/cpiaug2008.pdf

ST Sep 24, 2008
Inflation eases for 2nd month
August rate dips to 6.4%; it could free MAS to loosen monetary policy
By Gabriel Chen

INFLATION continued to take a breather last month and may have paved the way for what many economists say might be an easing of monetary policy next month.

Prices gained 6.4 per cent from August last year, down from a 26-year high of 7.5 per cent in April, May and June this year, according to the Department of Statistics yesterday. The July rate was 6.5 per cent.

The latest number gelled with tips from economists, who had forecast August inflation at between 5.8 per cent and 6.5 per cent.

They say yesterday's figure indicates that inflation has probably peaked and that the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) could loosen monetary policy to let the Singdollar rise at a slower pace.

'We continue to expect the headline year-on-year inflation rates to moderate gradually in the second half and more significantly next year as the impact of the previous Singdollar appreciation and the growth slowdown begins to kick in,' Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng said.

'With policymakers already flagging the possibility of a recession, we maintain our view that the MAS will probably shift to a neutral policy stance in October, while a downward band re-centring cannot be ruled out.'

Singapore sets monetary policy by managing the value of its currency via a secret basket of the currencies of its largest trading partners.

The Singdollar can trade freely as long as its trade-weighted value remains within the MAS 'policy band' limits.

Downward band re-centrings - moves to guide a Singdollar depreciation to make local exports more competitive - occurred during the severe Sars epidemic downturn in 2003 and after the dotcom bust in early 2002.

In April, the MAS did a one-off band re-centring to help fight inflation. This worked out to about a 2 per cent appreciation of the trade-weighted Singdollar, United Overseas Bank economist Ho Woei Chen said.

Now with inflationary pressures coming off, economists say the concern is shifting from skyrocketing prices to growth as Singapore looks increasingly likely to fall into a technical recession.

Ms Ho, who expects full-year inflation to average 6.4 per cent and fall to about 2.5 per cent next year, sees a mild technical recession - when an economy has shrunk for two straight quarters - as a real risk.

The Statistics Department report yesterday showed that food prices rose by 8.4 per cent compared with the same period a year ago. Dearer cooked food, rice and other cereals, fresh poultry, milk products, cooking oils, fresh vegetables and fish all added to the inflationary mix.

'With the China milk issue, food prices could head north again,' warned OCBC economist Selena Ling, referring to the tainted-milk scandal that is turning into a supply crunch of sorts as governments ban imports and retailers take China milk products off their shelves.

Housing costs advanced 12.8 per cent last month, a rise attributed to higher accommodation costs and electricity tariffs.

 

[Erudio]

How many focking non-profit R there compare to profit ones ???? Lee Kim Hua focking asshole !!! So gov can up rental, utility, up cost of living, but ask pte childcare ctrs not to up fee so tt their biz can die n NTUC can get 100% mkt share ?!?!?!?!?!?

Fock U hypocrite Lee, fock U hypocrite Vivian, fock U hypocrite Satan Lee !!!!!

Sep 24, 2008
RISE IN CHILDCARE CENTRE FEES
Ministry urges restraint

I REFER to the letter by Mr Ronnie Tan last Thursday, ('Stop this hike, or it's back to square one') on concerns regarding childcare centres raising their fees following the announced increase in child care subsidy.

Child care centres are business entities which need to remain viable. Rising cost of living, as well as higher requirements for teacher qualifications in the pre-school sector, may lead to higher costs.

We strongly urge operators to exercise restraint and to keep their services affordable for parents. Operators should bear in mind increased competition in the sector given the plan for a further 200 new childcare centres to be established over the next five years. Parents will select childcare centres that best meet their expectations in the most cost-effective manner.

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports currently provides funding to childcare centres operated by non-profit Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWO) in the form of subsidies for capital expenditure and ongoing subsidised rental.

The Government will introduce a new recurrent grant to eligible non-profit childcare centre operators. This will allow such operators to set the benchmark for both quality and affordability.

More details on this scheme will be announced before the end of this year.

We thank Mr Tan for his feedback. The Ministry will continue to monitor the situation and review policies on childcare centres where necessary.

Lee Kim Hua
Director
Family Services Division
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports

 

[Erudio]

Great !!! Now AVA can't cope, lost, dun know wat to do, so down play n say "eat a little bit every day won't die lah". Focking satanic shit head !!!!!!!! Then Y bother withdraw fr shelf, just ask peasants to ration lah !!!! Corrupt incompetent Satanic fascist regime !!!!

http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/9398A8AD-0490-4C66-B8EF-515AA9102002/22006/CONSUMERSNEEDNOTBEUNDULYCONCERNEDOVERMELAMINEINCID.pdf

AVA CONSUMER ADVISORY - UPDATE ON PRODUCTS DETECTED TO
CONTAIN MELAMINE

As of 24 September 2008, the AVA has detected melamine in an additional 5 products imported from China. Two are flavoured milk and three are confectioneries containing milk powder as an ingredient. They are :

i) Dutch Lady Banana Flavoured Milk;
ii) Dutch Lady Honeydew Flavoured Milk;
iii) Silang - House of Steamed Potato - Potato Cracker;
iv) 徐福记 Puffed Rice Rolls - Butter Corn Flavour;
and v) 徐福记 Puffed Rice Rolls - Cheese Flavour

2 This brings the total number of affected products to 8. The other products that were earlier found to be contaminated with melamine are:

i) Yi Li Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt Flavoured Ice Confection; ii) Dutch Lady Strawberry Flavoured Milk; and iii) White Rabbit Creamy Candy

(Details of the affected products are attached at Annex A.)

3 The public need not be unduly concerned as AVA has suspended the import and sale of all milk and milk products from China since 19 September 2008. We would also like to assure the public that the levels of melamine detected in the products are low and hence unlikely to result in adverse health effects. Consumers have to consume large quantities of the contaminated products over a prolonged period of time to have any potential ill effects on health.

4 Based on the melamine levels detected by AVA in the 8 affected products, the TDI1 limits translate to the following amounts of contaminated products for an adult weighing 60 kg or a child weighing 30 kg respectively:

Note : The Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of melamine as established by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is 0.63 mg/kg body weight. This means that an adult weighing 60 kg or a child weighing 30 kg can ingest 37.8 mg of melamine and 18.9 mg of melamine respectively every day over a lifetime without any appreciable health risk. Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore

5 Maxwell Road #04-00 Tower Block MND Complex Singapore 069110
Fax: (65) 62235383

Adult of 60 kg weight

776 ml of Dutch Lady Banana Flavoured Milk daily over a lifetime; or

644 ml of Dutch Lady Honeydew Flavoured Milk daily over a lifetime; or

644 ml of Dutch Lady Honeydew Flavoured Milk daily over a lifetime; or

520 pieces of 徐福记 Puffed Rice Rolls - Butter Corn Flavour daily over a lifetime; or

654 pieces of 徐福记 Puffed Rice Rolls - Cheese Flavour daily over a lifetime; or

7 bars of Yi Li Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt Flavoured Ice Confection daily over a lifetime; or

815 ml of Dutch Lady Strawberry flavoured milk daily over a lifetime; or

47 pieces of White Rabbit Creamy Candy daily over a lifetime.

Child of 30 kg weight

388 ml of Dutch Lady Banana Flavoured Milk daily over a lifetime; or

322 ml of Dutch Lady Honeydew Flavoured Milk daily over a lifetime; or

6.5 packs of Silang - House of Steamed Potato - Potato Cracker daily over a lifetime; or

260 pieces of 徐福记 Puffed Rice Rolls - Butter Corn Flavour daily over a lifetime; or

327 pieces of 徐福记 Puffed Rice Rolls - Cheese Flavour daily over a lifetime; or

3.5 bars of Yi Li Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt Flavoured Ice Confection daily over a lifetime; or

407.5 ml of Dutch Lady Strawberry flavoured milk daily over a lifetime; or

23.5 pieces of White Rabbit Creamy Candy daily over a lifetime.

5 For enquiries on affected products, consumers can call AVA’s hotline at 63257625 during office hours (8.30 am – 6.00 pm, Monday – Friday). For health concerns associated with the ingestion of melamine, consumers can call MOH’s hotline at 1800-2254122. Consumers can also visit AVA’s website at www.ava.gov.sg for more information.

Issued by Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority
on 24 September 2008

 

[Erudio]

Wat "more time and space" focking Bargain Hen !!! 1 day only 24 hrs fer ev'ry one !!!! How cum ev'ry Edu ministar once take office must implement some stoopid mega project n screw up the Edu system n fock it up fer students even more???

Just listen to the shit head charlatan Bargain Hen !!! Get students fr P1 up play in more CCA, can cum n tell us will not take more time !!!! Then how to do?? Cut lesson period length, ask student go home n ask tuition teachers? Some more wanna start sch later than now !!!

T'is the REAL focking evil PAP plan ... implement full day sch, aft normal hours, students must play CCA, use the extra teachers n teachers assistants to help, students go home late afternoon or early evening, shagged out, but still must do homework n projects, sleep late, OF COURSE CAN ONLY WAKE UP LATER, so sch start later, n so on .........

N $$ fer more degree holder teachers fr where ??? Get ready GST = 10% !!!!

Focking satanic evil PAP !!!! Turn SG into a place where old people cannot retire, young children cannot rest !!!!! SG is a real fock up Hell !!!!!!

Pri schools to have more space, time for CCAs; Edusave funds up
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 25 September 2008 1546 hrs

SINGAPORE: Primary school students in Singapore will soon get more space to learn and play, as the Ministry of Education (MOE) will move all the 179 primary schools into a single-session structure in a few years' time.

This may also lead to another 25 schools being built.

Currently, four in 10 primary schools operate in single sessions. The rest are either partial single-session or double-session schools.

In a double-session school, Primary 1, 3 and 5 students would normally have classes in the afternoon while Primary 2, 4 and 6 students have classes in the morning.

In partial single-session schools, Primary 1 and 2 students have their classes in the afternoon while Primary 3 to 6 students are taught in the morning. This arrangement frees up some space for the latter to have enrichment activities in the afternoon.

Still, double-session and partial single-session schools find it challenging to conduct CCAs when they have to keep noise levels down because other pupils are having lessons. The lack of space also means they have limited time to use a classroom as they have to give way to another class for lessons.

So the MOE plans to have all its primary schools operate in single sessions in a few years' time.

In a single-session school like Bukit View Primary, teachers will have more flexibility to plan timetables.

Jenny Law, principal of Bukit View Primary School, said: "The teachers don't have to share classrooms, so the classroom is their kingdom! They can use it as and when they like, for extra learning activities, for remedial lessons, to have one-on-one interaction with the children."

"And they can teach the children to really take care of the environment. So if you go to the classrooms, you can see that the children are really proud of their classrooms and their displays," she added.

The change to single session may mean longer school hours for the kids. But some of that additional time will be spent on co-curricular activities. These are currently not compulsory in primary schools, but the MOE believes exposing children to activities like mini-tennis can improve their teamwork and leadership skills.

Above all, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said, it is about retaining the joy of learning.

"Children should enjoy school and learn through play. Our children must grow up to be confident young people. They must be secure in their own identity, be able to form their own opinions, and communicate well to convince others," he said at the MOE Work Plan Seminar on Thursday.

"We should guard against single-session schools becoming full-day schools with a heavier workload for students. That's not the aim at all. It's not more time to do work, but it allows you more time and space to more fully develop the child," he added.

To help families pay for enrichment programmes, the government will spend more on the education funds of primary and secondary students.

From January 2009, primary students will get $200 per year in their Edusave Accounts, up from $180 currently, while secondary school students will get $240, up from $220.

MOE will also lift the existing age cap so that all secondary school students may be eligible for Edusave, regardless of age.

This will allow students who join school late or who take a longer time to complete their secondary studies access to the additional financial support.

With the changes, comes the need for more facilities and teachers. The MOE has set up a committee to study the details.

Called the Primary Education Review Implementation Committee, it is headed by Senior Minister of State for Education, Grace Fu. More details are expected in a few weeks' time.

One plan is that from 2015, all new teachers will have to be graduates. This is in line with the expansion of university places to 30 per cent of each cohort by then.

MOE now recruits teachers from the top 30 per cent of each cohort.

The proportion of graduates has increased over the last few years, and some teachers have also got their degrees in-service.

Currently, 69 per cent of primary school teachers and 92 per cent of secondary school teachers have degrees.

But Dr Ng acknowledged that there are many good teachers in the present system who are diploma-holders, and that existing schemes to recruit A-level and diploma-holders for certain subjects, and to help them obtain degrees, will continue.

But he added that "the quality of the education system cannot exceed the quality of its teaching force. (...) As more of our diploma graduates and our university cohort participation rate increase to 30% in 2015, we should be able to recruit all teachers with a degree in primary schools."

Lim Lan Chin, principal of Seng Kang Primary School, said: "With the tertiary exposure, they will be having enhanced training and exposure to pedagogies, to subject matters, at a deeper level. (But) We will not just look at qualifications, but we will tie in with attributes, whether they are suitable to be teachers."

The MOE will also beef up its pool of allied educators, from 600 now to 2,800 by 2016. These include education associates, special needs officers and full-time school counsellors.

They will also receive competitive pay scales and more advancement opportunities.

- CNA/ir