Are they TALENTS???
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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong makes the claim that the PAP
Government performs so well that he and his ministers must be paid
salaries that most Singaporeans find outrageous and unacceptable.
Here's some facts and figures on what the PAP does for (some people
argue, to) the people.
7,340 households were not able to pay their utility bills as of
Sept 2005. (Channel News Asia, 20 Sep 05)
31,570 Singaporeans sought financial aid from the government in
2003. This was an increase of 40 percent from 2002 where 22,500
people sought assistance and 120 percent from 2001 (14,300).
(Straits Times, 29 Jan 05)
17,000 families or individuals sought help from Family Service
Centres due mainly to retrenchment and debt problems in 2003 - up
32 percent from 2002. (Straits Times, Jan 3, 2005)
37,823 households could not afford to buy their own flats or rent
homes as of the end of 2004. (Straits Times, 29 Jan 05)
18 divorces take place on average in Singapore every single day in
2003! In 1993 there were only 2,313 divorces, in 2003 there were
6,561 cases - an increase of 180 percent.
(http://www.getforme.com/previous2004/240704_statisticsondivorces2003.htm)
22,540 This is the number of un-discharged bankrupts as of August
2005 (Straits Times, 7 Nov 05)
150,000 credit cards were in default as of the end of 2003.
(Straits Times, 7 Nov 05)
46 percent. This was the increase in the number of young people
below 35 who were issued writs for overdue debt - from 5,019 in
2000 to 7,328 in 2003. (The New Paper, 24 Sep 03)
21,434 Singaporeans went bankrupt as of 31 December 2004 - the
highest in Singapore's history. (Straits Times, 19 Jan 05) 4,190
people were made bankrupt in the first 11 months of 2004 - the
highest number in 19 years. (Straits Times, 5 Jan 05)
1 Singaporean commits suicide everyday on the average. (AFP, 8 Sep
03)
70 percent of those who commit suicide in Singapore are between 20
and 49 years of age. They kill themselves mainly because of
"financial commitments, having stress at work, caring for the
elderly and the children at home." (AFP, 8 Sep 03)
1,692 dollars is the average monthly retirement income an average
retired Singaporean will have one of the lowest among 15
countries (including Australia, Canada, USA, Spain, Italy, Hong
Kong and Japan) surveyed by AXA Insurance Group. Canada ranked
first with $4,216. Yet, Singaporeans contribute the most to savings
plans, that is, the CPF. (Today, 25 Feb 05)
85 percent of elderly Singaporeans feel that their lives would be
worse five years down the road. This is up by 14 percent in 2000.
(Today, 21 Jun 05)
54 percent of nearly 3,000 laid-off workers in the first quarter of
2004 were aged 40 and above. Those of you who are younger better
think about this: 53 percent of Singapore's workforce will be 40 or
older in five years' time. (The Star, 27 Feb 05)
14,000 children were seen by psychiatrists at the Institute of
Mental Health, of which 2,233 were new cases. (Straits Times, Apr
02)
