February 18, 2010
When even the usually meek Channel News Asia (CNA) is
questioning the accuracy of information given to it, something must
be really wrong.
In an article yesterday, CNA cast doubts if the majority of
Resorts World Sentosa’s staff are indeed Singaporeans.
“Resorts World Sentosa said 70 per cent of its staff
strength of over 8,000 are Singaporeans or Permanent Residents. But
some who’ve visited the gaming tables are questioning where exactly
are they working?” it asked.
When Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) was awarded the integrated
resort in 2006, it said it would remain “committed to hiring
Singaporeans as a first priority.”
However, according to those who have visited the casino over the
weekend, most of the staff working there appeared to be
foreigners.
As early as 2008, Philipines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
claimed that RWS will open about 5,000 new jobs for Filipinos. She
had sent a delegation to Singapore to explore possible
job opportunities for migrant Filipino
and they went to discuss available slots for Filipino workers such
as workers for hotels, casinos and performers with Tan Hee
Teck, CEO of RWS. (read report
here)
The Straits Times reported on 8 February 2010 that Resort
World Sentosa (RWS) will be hiring 150 card dealers in Taiwan who
are expected to be paid around $1,800 monthly. Besides Taiwanese,
RWS has also been actively recruiting Malaysians and Filipinos to
man its casino in Singapore.
The 70 per cent figure quoted is misleading because PRs are
included. Foreigners can be fast-tracked to become PRs, thereby
decreasing the percentage for foreign workers.
For some strange reason, both RWS and the authorities appear to
be reluctant to release the exact percentage of Singapore citizens
working at the IR which is likely to be in the range of 50 – 60 per
cent or even less.
Based on some feedback we receive from readers, the majority of
the service staff at RWS are foreigners. In fact, the lessons have
to be conducted in Mandarin due to the large number of non-English
speaking workers from China and Taiwan.
Robin Goh, assistant director, Communications, Resorts World
Sentosa, said to CNA:
“There might be skill sets that are lacking in Singapore
perhaps. For example jobs in casino and jobs within Universal
Studios Singapore. And again, sad to say, it is also a challenge to
find Singaporeans to pick up some jobs that they sometimes shun,
for example jobs that have shifts.”
As expected, the all too convenient excuse that the jobs
are ”shunned” by locals is brought up again to explain
why Singaporeans are not employed.
RWS is operating and making money in Singapore. The onus is on
it to adjust its wages and working hours to fit the expectations of
Singaporeans and not the other way round.
Of course RWS cannot be blamed entirely since the ruling party
doesn’t really care much if they employ locals or foreigners since
according to their warped logic – “foreigners help to create, (not
snatch away) jobs for Singaporeans”.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/02/18/even-cna-is-questioning-the-percentage-of-singaporeans-employed-by-resorts-world-sentosa/