http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_378884.html
S'pore a home for talents
By Sue-ann Chia
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong (left) has spelt out plans to make Singapore 'a home' for locals as well as for foreign talent. --ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG
MANPOWER Minister Gan Kim Yong has spelt out plans to make Singapore 'a home' for locals as well as for foreign talent.
To do so, the ministry plans to develop, among other things, good employment practices, high standards of workplace safety and health, and a 'well-managed' foreign workforce.
'We will do more to position Singapore as a home for talent, both local and foreign, with a compelling proposition of fulfilling career opportunities and high quality of life,' he said on Tuesday.
He was laying out his ministry's plans in an addendum to President SR Nathan's speech to Parliament on Monday which gave an overview of the Government's strategies for the remaining legislative term.
The addendum is a blueprint which MPs then debate when Parliament sits next week, from Monday.
While the ministry mapped out its long-term vision, one immediate task is tackling the current economic crisis.
At a press briefing on Tuesday to elaborate on the addenda, Mr Gan said the various Government measures to minimise job losses have worked, keeping unemployment levels low here.
Credit, he said, should go to schemes such as Jobs Credit which subsidises employers' wage bill and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur) which covers worker training.
He further pledged to provide locals more training opportunities by expanding the current infrastructure of national adult training centres.
Coping with the economic crisis was just one of six priority areas that the ministry identified. The other include plans that look beyond the downturn, such as building workforce capabilities by raising productivity and quality of the locals and foreigners.
S'pore a home for talents
By Sue-ann Chia
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong (left) has spelt out plans to make Singapore 'a home' for locals as well as for foreign talent. --ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG
MANPOWER Minister Gan Kim Yong has spelt out plans to make Singapore 'a home' for locals as well as for foreign talent.
To do so, the ministry plans to develop, among other things, good employment practices, high standards of workplace safety and health, and a 'well-managed' foreign workforce.
'We will do more to position Singapore as a home for talent, both local and foreign, with a compelling proposition of fulfilling career opportunities and high quality of life,' he said on Tuesday.
He was laying out his ministry's plans in an addendum to President SR Nathan's speech to Parliament on Monday which gave an overview of the Government's strategies for the remaining legislative term.
The addendum is a blueprint which MPs then debate when Parliament sits next week, from Monday.
While the ministry mapped out its long-term vision, one immediate task is tackling the current economic crisis.
At a press briefing on Tuesday to elaborate on the addenda, Mr Gan said the various Government measures to minimise job losses have worked, keeping unemployment levels low here.
Credit, he said, should go to schemes such as Jobs Credit which subsidises employers' wage bill and the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur) which covers worker training.
He further pledged to provide locals more training opportunities by expanding the current infrastructure of national adult training centres.
Coping with the economic crisis was just one of six priority areas that the ministry identified. The other include plans that look beyond the downturn, such as building workforce capabilities by raising productivity and quality of the locals and foreigners.