by Kor Kian Beng
SINGAPOREANS say fewer foreign workers here will reduce
competition for jobs and lessen the social impact that their
presence causes.
The Government's concern, on the other hand, is that a cut back
would cause labour shortages in some industries and slow economic
growth. But labour chief Lim Swee Say believes there is a way to
address these contrasting concerns and still have the best of both
worlds.
Speaking at a National Day observance ceremony on Monday, he
outlined a three-pronged strategy to achieve this.
* Expand the resident workforce by tapping into the pool of
Singaporeans and permanent residents, especially those who are
older, and reaching out to economically-inactive women;
* Boost productivity of the workforce;
* Improve the skills of foreign workers who do come here.
The combination of these three factors can be 'a very powerful
tool,' he told over 500 union leaders and staff of the National
Trades Union Congress (NTUC).