How giving up one's seat on the bus to the needy can save our
economy by reducing taxes for all.
[Img Source: Girl Refuses To Give Seat To Disabled, Slapped By
100 RMB]
[PS, all references to either
gender in this essay references the opposite equally]
On 1st March 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam,
who is also Minister of Finance said: "For these five years,
we're okay and that's why we're setting aside monies in trust funds
and endowment funds... But in the 10 to 15 years after 2016, we do
have a real challenge, and we'll have to think beyond growing the economy and sustaining
revenues based on GDP growth." ('New ways to
raise revenue needed, says DPM Tharman' [TODAY, 02Mar2012][pict])
Whilst on 8th June2012, at the Economic Society of Singapore's
annual dinner, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said "As we
enhance our social safety nets, expenditure will inexorably rise,
and revenue must keep up. Surely within the next 20 years, the
government of the day will need new sources of revenue,
which means raising taxes,"
('Singapore's growth expected to slow in next
decade' [CNA, 08June2012], [pict])
Imagine an elderly person of good character, going about his daily
activities- basic marketing (grandpa), taking good care of
grandchildren (grandma), doing some charity work at a nearby
temple/ home for the elderly aged (help out with cooking/ cleaning/
admin etc), volunteering at the library reading story books to
nursery children; for others, it might just be daily errands
attending to a disabled spouse, part time work helping at a nearby
medical facility or just moving about to keep active and fit. Can
the love and nurturing provided by this elderly person for another
ever be measured? Not earning a salary does not make this elderly a
worthless person, for his contribution to society is indeed
immense- no matter how slow and old fashioned his ideas may
be.
Now imagine this same elderly person falling down on a crowded bus
simply because someone feigned sleep to avoid the elder's need. The
fall cost the elderly a broken hip and perhaps permanent
immobility- this adverse result leading to depression and despair
and immense stress to the rest of his family. All volunteering
activities are cancelled- no more kind teacher, no more free
storytelling, foreigners with language incompatibilities are hired
to cover the part time duties once performed by the able elderly.
Working adults become flustered given the sudden problem of taking
care of another disabled family member, perhaps resulting in the
government having to bear the cost of maintaining 2 immobile
elderly in a state run welfare home. The next generation needless
to say, is lost in the midst of this crisis and consequent
financial disability. Can an economy of depressed individuals
really be productive? Who can concentrate at work with problems at
home so deep and unrelenting? Has anyone ever seen "social safety
nets" large and strong enough to rescue a nation of depressed,
unfriendly individuals?
According to 'Adding up the cost of elderly care' [The Telegraph.uk, 29Jun2011]: "One in three
women and one in five men aged 65 and over will need to go into a
residential care home... A single room in a private residential
home in Britain now costs an average of £25,953 a year... One in
four people will incur costs of more than £50,000 for elderly care
and support such as home adaptations, meals on wheels and
residential care... OECD projections
suggest that the UK will be forced to spend an extra £50 billion a
year on services for elderly people as the population ages over the
next four decades."
Would the taxation liabilities towards providing for this
indefatigable social safety net bankrupt the economy as governments
uphold their pledges of inclusive societies going forward?
Please give up your seat to the elderly, help Singaporeans save
some money, help save the Singapore economy.
[Img source: 'giving-up-your-seat']
[Img
source: Respect Your Elders: 66-Year-Old Woman Breaks
Student’s Nose For Not Giving Up Seat On Bus]
This image has been resized.Click to view original image 
