DEC 15, 2003
Govt exploring 'total solution' to baby shortfall
THE Government will adopt a more comprehensive approach to the
problem of falling birth rates and sees the use of packages of
financial incentives as only a part of this overall scheme.
Warning of a sterile Singapore of the future, which would mean an
older workforce and a weakened Singapore Armed Forces, Deputy Prime
Minister and Coordinating Minister for Security and Defence, Dr
Tony Tan, said the Government would be exploring ideas towards a
total solution to the population shortfall.
Said Dr Tan to reporters, after opening the Care Corner Family
Service Centre (Admiralty) at Woodlands Avenue 6 yesterday: 'Of
course, we have to help young parents with their financial needs
and we are doing this through a variety of ways, like the baby
bonus and Edusave.
'But we need to take a total approach if we want to have strong
families in Singapore, which is what Minister Lim Hng Kiang will be
looking into, together with the other government ministries.'
On Dec 7, Mr Lim, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and
Second Minister for Finance, announced the Government was looking
into possible financial schemes to help working parents with babies
pay for qualified caregivers.
But Dr Tan made it clear that the objective was not just to have
more children, but to take good care of them and give them the best
chance of success.
'We will be brainstorming to come up with new schemes... I think,
people like Care Corner will be able to give a lot of valuable
advice.'
Last year, there were 40,864 births, down from 41,451 births in
2001. There were 31,171 births in the first nine months of this
year, versus 33,618 in the same period last year.
Said Dr Tan: 'I think children are wonderful; they make life
interesting. Without them, where would Singapore be?'[/img]
