Getting old or getting wiser

The age issue in employment is receiving more attention in a population that is growing with the baby boomers. This is the group of movers and shakers of the economy for the last 30 years and they refuse to go away. They are here to stay, like it or not. They will occupy all the seats of power and influence, and money of course, until they drop dead. Who says people should be retiring? Is there an issue with people working to their sunset years? Is 62 a reasonable age to retire? It all depends. It depends on the physical and mental health of the worker. It also depends on the nature of the job. In more physically demanding jobs, you cannot afford to risk the lives of workers who are physically challenged to continue what they doing when young. And in many jobs, the dexterity of the fingers and the nimbleness of the minds, as well as the pretty face of a sweet young thing make a world of a difference in getting the job done well. Can a straight jacket law be simply introduced to be applicable to all situations? What the law could look at is a real restructuring of jobs for the oldies instead of kicking the oldies aside. There are many jobs that are suitable for oldies that have been threatened because young boys and girls think that oldies should be confined to old folks homes. On the other hand younger and physically able people could be encouraged to take on more active jobs or jobs that require more mobility. There is no hard and fast rules when physical suitablity is concerned. But one thing of concern is the slow reaction and nearly blind uncles driving taxis. The physical checks must not just be confined to general health and the eyesight. The lost of attentiveness and slow reaction to a fast changing situation can be life threatening. We need job restructuring rather than stringent laws that are cast in stone. But don't send all the uncles and aunties to become table cleaners and dish washers, or road sweepers.

politics is a game for man

This is truly exceptional and extraordinary. The change catalyst in Singapore politics is in the hands of two ancient politicians. One is in the thick of things and instituting changes all the way. Another is in the fringe waiting to re enter the scene to institute the biggest change in Singapore's politics. Make way boys and girls. Age is an advantage in politics. Go back to play marbles and catch spiders.

I am back - JBJ

The ONE that refuses to go away and keeps coming back. He may be 85 in 2011, if his health permits, surely he will run the race. He has given everything he got to run this race. He will make his last stand. And he has everything going for him. There are plenty of issues that he can talk about and people will listen to him. The sympathisers will be with him. His admirers for his determination and sacrifices will be for him. And there will be the permanent opposition votes that will go to him. He is likely to waltz into parliament without any resistance. The boys and girls will be overawed by his presence. And if they dare attack him or ridicule him in any way, the joke will be on them. The only obstacle in his path is not to get himself into any legal battle and be made a bankrupt again before the next election. But the naysayers will try to write him off. Those who believe that it is good to be in the winning camp will also want to write him off. Ultimately it will be a test of whether Singaporeans have a heart to see this grand old man through the last few years of his life. He is a Singaporean that never run away.

We need means testing

There is no better time than now to quickly introduce means testing before things get out of hand. The public service is public service for the people and not a treasure chest for the finders and keepers. It is the public's money and not only that the money must be spent reasonably, the public must also have a say in how and how much it should be spent particularly in the area of Ministerial salary. And this is where means testing must come in. A set of criteria must be adopted to test the means of such an income that the people deems fit for the political appointees. This should be measured against affordability and real income. Real income as compared against equally well off nations and the value of the income vis a vis the basket of goods it can purchased. Next we need to look at affordability not in the sense that the country has a golden goose and it is able to afford as many eggs as the picker wants to. Affordability shall be in the area of what the salary should be able to afford to the office holders. How many houses should the salary afford to buy every year, how many Benzes or BMWs or Bently every year, how many family holidays to choice destinations, how many millions to be put aside as savings. The political appointees must be able to afford a lifestyle fit for them in a prosperous country. The means testing must make sure that they can afford all these comforts to be meaningful and of course to attract more of such talented people befitting of such lifestyle to join the fray. The govt should immediately start to work out a set of means testing for such high offices.

The perfect example of a stupid Singaporean

The perfect example of a stupid Singaporean I chance to read this little article about the TV serial Survivor and a guy called Yau-Man Chan. The way he spelt his name, which is actually Chan Yau Man, tells you how stupid he is without needing any further explanation. What he did in the TV serial was the offering to someone a Ford truck for a verbal deal. Unfortunately the world is not made up of people as innocent and naive as he is. And the other guy, a Andria Herd, negated on the deal and he lost the game as well as the truck. Andria's reason is that 'I never totally gave my word. That's how people play the game.' And Andria was proud to say it in front of millions of people on TV, that there is nothing wrong with that. Very likely the world agrees with him except for the few supporter of the sorry loser, Yau Man Chan. And the stupid Yau Man Chan accepted that. Why couldn't he negate on his words and not to give up his truck since the other party did not fulfill his obligation? And he had to apologetically said that Andria was not evil, just confused, while he himself was dubed. The character traits of this Yau Man Chan is very typically Singaporeans. They went around the world, globetrotting, got into deals only to be cheated as the other party has no intention to honour the deal. And the Singaporean would pathetically and compliantly walk away without his pants. Just a note, Yau Man Chan is not a Singaporean but a Malaysian Chinese living in foreign land and has to compromise on his rights, dignity and even the way he writes his name. Chinese Singaporeans in Singapore still have some dignity and respect to stand up for their rights inside the island. But once out of it, they will have to be another decent, innocent, complaint, and graceful victim of people who will take advantage of them as they only have themselves to blame for being in the jungle and they the helpless sheep. This is the new image of an overseas Chinese. In the past the model image of the Chinese was a super loyal and obedient cook whose only talent is cooking and washing the laundry.