Sunday, March 25, 2007

What a Filthy Week!

this week there are so much filth in the mainstream media that i think i need to take a day or two to detoxify myself.

the most filthy of course goes to:
March 23, 2007
Top govt salaries far behind private sector's
PM discloses the wide gap and urgent need to retain talent in public sector

By Lydia Lim, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

TOP private-sector salaries have surged ahead of those in the public sector and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed last night just how far the pay of ministers and civil service leaders has fallen behind.

A minister should be drawing $2.2 million a year or more, according to benchmarks approved by Parliament in 1994 to ensure competitive salaries for a competent and honest government.

But their actual salaries have fallen to 55 per cent of the benchmark, that is $1.2 million, and 'we have to close this gap', Mr Lee said last night.

.............

Speaking at the annual Administrative Service dinner, Mr Lee explained that salaries had to be reviewed so the public sector can keep its share of talented Singaporeans.

'This is an urgent problem. We have experienced on previous occasions the painful consequences of responding too slowly when the private sector surged ahead,' he said.

In the 1990s, this led to the Administrative Service, the key service from which most public sector leaders are drawn, losing entire cohorts of young and good officers.

the sole reason for 'talents' to leave the Admin Service is salary and nothing else.

...............

Also important is to review the salaries of ministers, judges and statutory appointment holders such as the Attorney-General and Auditor-General, said Mr Lee.

'It is even more critical for us to keep these salaries competitive, so as to be able to bring in a continuing flow of able and successful people to be ministers and judges.

'Unless there is a first-class political leadership and judiciary, the Civil Service, however capable and dedicated, will not be able to function properly,' he said.

'first-class' equal to high pay and not competence and dedication.

..............

First-class people are therefore needed to anticipate problems, come up with creative solutions and lead teams.

"anticipate problems"? what about the property bubble in mid 1990s?

He said 'first-class governance' which can be provided only by a top-grade public sector was a 'sustainable advantage' that Singapore should 'zealously uphold'.

how come we still have the NKF saga and Shin Corp debacle?

While public officers must serve from a sense of idealism and duty and not be motivated mainly by financial reward, they should not be expected to make 'unreasonable financial sacrifices' to be in public service, he added.

getting the world's highest pay and these public officers are still making 'unreasonable financial sacrifices'!


another filthy news is:
MAR 23 2007, Straits Times H4:

DURAI'S CRIMINAL TRIAL...DEFENCE TEAM SET TO ARGUE 'NO CASE'

someone who admitted to all charges of mishandling for public donations in a civil suit cannot be nailed by the government? why?

Monday, March 12, 2007

Upper Half of First World

I nearly fell off my chair that day when MM Lee reportedly said we are moving “into the upper half of the First World. We can do this in the next 10-20 years.”

Does he really believe that Singapore is now already in the First World?

Maybe income wise some Singaporeans, and of course that includes the millionaire ministers, are in the First World.

But then:

Do any of the First World countries have as many elderly working as cleaners in food centres and toilets as Singapore?

Do any of the First World countries have as much as 40% of their households in income/expenditure deficit every monthly like we have here?

Did any of the First World countries need to deploy some 20 policemen to restrain the relatives of a brain-dead person while the hospital staff wheeled him out to harvest his organs?

Maybe the First World countries are not much different from Singapore. Maybe I'm ignorant and I hope I'm.