City of Possibilities

I just realized that the theme of this year National Day celebrations is "city of possibilities". A city of possibilities indeed, and I think it includes possibilities for absurdities and paradoxes.

Don't we allow the public transport companies which are making handsome profits to increase their fares almost annually while we persistently refuse to have a minimum wage? Wages of some of our low wage earners, like cleaners and laborers, have dropped to lower than what they were ten years ago.

Our labor chief said that to have a minimum wage was an "easy solution" that might not work and it was better for the workers to improve their productivity.

By offering the public transport companies a provision to adjust fares yearly are we not giving them an "easy solution" to increase their revenue?

With such an "easy solution" in place would the public transport companies have the motivation to improve their productivity or to scour for other avenues or ways to increase their revenue?

When Public Transport Council invites the public transport companies to submit their applications for adjustment of bus and train fares why are taxi fares not included? Isn't taxi part of the public transport system?

But of course the most unconscionable paradox is the 60% hike to the already gargantuan salary of our ministers while the government begrudged the elderly sick of three square meals a day.

Ours is a city of paradoxes!