Don’t give me that puzzled look can? I was thinking of another title, ‘The temptation of Jesus Christ’, but that may be too religious an approach. There are many reasons why Sinkies need to stand up to protect the ministers. And there are many known and good reasons to do so. We were told that they are the crème ala crème of the super talents on this piece of rock. This must be a good enough reason for many Sinkies. Many also believe that they are the best people to run this country. Without them, the economy is going to go downhill, prices of properties will collapse, many would become foreign workers. There will be a flight of capital and investments and we will slide back to the Third World. Our reserves and CPF savings will become banana currency. We don’t want that to happen.
There is a more basic reason to want to protect the ministers. The most fundamental assumption of the Ministerial Salary Review Committee is that the ministers are also humans. This rude revelation is a big departure from the assumption that they are immortals. Good that the Committee set this record straight for once. This assumption is also similar to the fear that they will succumb to temptation to be corrupt. Looking at them as humans, understanding the weaknesses of human weaknesses is half the battle won. There is no need to pretend that they are immortals and above the weaknesses of human beans. As humans they are subject to the same temptations of the flesh, of greed, of corruption, and the endless desires and wants.
This is what I mean when I say we need to protect the ministers as they are human beans too. Monday, Parliament is going to debate the salary recommendations of the Review Committee. And it is likely that they are going to vote for or against it. With 81 MPs and the Whip in force, the recommendations will be passed. This is bad. The recommendations are full of treacherous loopholes and traps that will compromise and bring down the good ministers.
I hope that they will be wise enough to look for a clean and simple package that will protect them from the temptations of man, of being human. I hope they will come out with a simple recommendation, a new recommendation that will remove all the loopholes and trappings that will lead the ministers to their downfall. It is unfair to design a system that is flawed and inviting the beneficiaries to think crooked. The new recommendations on the table are not much different from the current package, with many variables and flexibilities and loopholes for wrongdoings. If the ministers are put in a situation where they can be selective in what they are doing, say by doing this or that they could improve their bonuses etc, being human and weak, they could be lured into those erroneous paths.
There is no need to throw away the whole recommendations in toto. The recommendations have provided a decent framework as to how much the ministers can hope to get as their salary. Just compute them into simple numbers like $1.1m which is the base and $10m which is the maximum. With these two extremes, add a couple of options like $3m and $5m. Remove all the other variables and measurement criteria. Just put the four numbers to vote and let them be the salary of the ministers.
Once this is done, the ministers will be released from all the distraction of money, money will no longer be their daily preoccupation. An added precaution is that there shall be no other incomes by virtue of other appointments or duties. They can take on whatever duties or appointments if they so desired, but no more money, not even a token allowance. No more creative appointments as well. This will then be the simplest and cleanest and most transparent package for the ministers, and to protect them from themselves, to free them from temptations, and from thinking crooked. I want to say no crooked bridges as well, but that would be too complex to deal with.
May the main task of Parliament next week be towards a revised and simple salary package for the ministers. This is the best that everyone can hope for, for country, for the ministers and for the people. The police or uniformed personnel can do whatever to protect the ministers, but the most difficult task is for the ministers to protect from themselves. The people need to do their part to assist the ministers by proposing a simple compensation package that is free from mischief and temptation. This is a responsible thing to do. It is a simple task but very daunting. And it would need very brave and righteous ministers to agree with such a proposal. Just tell them it is for their own good and their own protection. Think they will understand the simple logic behind the proposal and assumption.
May God bless them and give them wisdom in this very difficult moment of their lives. Boon Wan is the best person to help to enlighten the rest of the ministers, to see light in times of darkness.
1/13/2012
1/12/2012
Hong Kong Traders Plan Lunch-Break Protest
Bloomberg
By Kana Nishizawa and Marco Lui - Jan 12, 2012
Securities traders and restaurant staff will protest outside the Hong Kong stock exchange offices today over the bourse’s plan to reduce its lunchtime trading break.
As many as 1,000 protesters will gather at the Statue Square in the city’s central business district at 4:45 p.m. and walk to the headquarters of Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. at the Exchange Square, said Patrick Lam, chairman of the Hong Kong Securities & Futures Employees Union and organizer of the demonstration.
Hong Kong Exchanges Chief Executive Officer Charles Li plans to cut the lunch break from March 5 to one hour from 90 minute, following a reduction last year from two hours, the longest of the world’s 20 largest bourses. Brokers use the lunch break to communicate with clients and improve businesses, and one hour is not enough, Lam said by telephone today. Restaurants in the city’s central district would be losing business as well, he said.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Francis Lun, managing director at Lyncean Holdings Ltd., who may join the protest. “After the morning trading, traders have to spend about 15 minutes to match all the trades, so it really gives you no time for lunch at all. I hope we can throw garbage on the head of Mr. Charles Li for not listening to public opinion.”....
The SGX has since cut off lunch break to be in line with the stupid Americans for the same quoted reason that it will increase the volume of transactions. Where is the evidence? Where is the increase? There is only decrease in volume. In fact the volume of trades does not even justify opening the exchange for more than 2 hours. Now that this sad state of affair has been proven, let’s not deceive ourselves that volume will increase with continuous trading.
What is the point of opening non stop when there are hardly any trades being done? Or is it that it got something to do with switching on and off of high speed computers? There is no reason for continuous trading unless the volume justifies it. Until then, it is only reasonable to revert to the one and the half hour lunch break.
By Kana Nishizawa and Marco Lui - Jan 12, 2012
Securities traders and restaurant staff will protest outside the Hong Kong stock exchange offices today over the bourse’s plan to reduce its lunchtime trading break.
As many as 1,000 protesters will gather at the Statue Square in the city’s central business district at 4:45 p.m. and walk to the headquarters of Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. at the Exchange Square, said Patrick Lam, chairman of the Hong Kong Securities & Futures Employees Union and organizer of the demonstration.
Hong Kong Exchanges Chief Executive Officer Charles Li plans to cut the lunch break from March 5 to one hour from 90 minute, following a reduction last year from two hours, the longest of the world’s 20 largest bourses. Brokers use the lunch break to communicate with clients and improve businesses, and one hour is not enough, Lam said by telephone today. Restaurants in the city’s central district would be losing business as well, he said.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Francis Lun, managing director at Lyncean Holdings Ltd., who may join the protest. “After the morning trading, traders have to spend about 15 minutes to match all the trades, so it really gives you no time for lunch at all. I hope we can throw garbage on the head of Mr. Charles Li for not listening to public opinion.”....
The SGX has since cut off lunch break to be in line with the stupid Americans for the same quoted reason that it will increase the volume of transactions. Where is the evidence? Where is the increase? There is only decrease in volume. In fact the volume of trades does not even justify opening the exchange for more than 2 hours. Now that this sad state of affair has been proven, let’s not deceive ourselves that volume will increase with continuous trading.
What is the point of opening non stop when there are hardly any trades being done? Or is it that it got something to do with switching on and off of high speed computers? There is no reason for continuous trading unless the volume justifies it. Until then, it is only reasonable to revert to the one and the half hour lunch break.
The more you read the more tulan
More and more cases of PRs and new citizens benefitting from the housing policies or taking advantage of them are being reported in cyberspace. And to think that they did not have to do NS and could get a public flat so easily while so many Sinkies are not even eligible for some cock reasons, singles, income too high etc etc, makes the blood boils. How can policies be formulated that put Sinkies at a disadvantage over PRs and new citizens?
The people that fall victims to such policies have all the rights to be fuming mad. They are the sons of the land, oops, a piece of rock, and having live here all their lives, doing NS to defend this piece of rock, and could not buy a roof over their heads while new citizens going around merrily getting them, subletting them, or selling them at good profits only to abandon this place and return home.
The Sinkies deserve the govt they get. I am sure many Sinkies are damn tulan over this. Own citizens, born and bred here, lost out to PRs and new citizens. And best of the bestest, they will vote for those who made the policies to their detriment.
The people that fall victims to such policies have all the rights to be fuming mad. They are the sons of the land, oops, a piece of rock, and having live here all their lives, doing NS to defend this piece of rock, and could not buy a roof over their heads while new citizens going around merrily getting them, subletting them, or selling them at good profits only to abandon this place and return home.
The Sinkies deserve the govt they get. I am sure many Sinkies are damn tulan over this. Own citizens, born and bred here, lost out to PRs and new citizens. And best of the bestest, they will vote for those who made the policies to their detriment.
Ministerial salary debate in Parliament
The recommendations of the Salary Review Committee will be debated on Monday 16 Jan in Parliament. It will be PAP versus others, between those going to vote for the recommendations and those against it. It will not be a debate on conscience, not about morality or decency, but a debate on policy.
Yes, Gan Kim Yong said the whip will not be lifted. This means that the PAP MPs must toe the line, and vote for the new salary. They have no choice, they cannot vote against it. But would they stand up and speak against it? No, it is a PAP policy and they must be disciplined, cannot break rank, it is us against them. Those who believe that PAP MPs can speak to oppose PAP policies, this sitting will tell them rudely that they can forget it in important issues like this one.
The stage is set for a bi partisan debate, with PAP for and others against the recommendation. It will be 6 against 81. And the vote is final and the recommendations will be approved. The bill is passed, or as good as passed even before Parliament sits. This is democracy, the rule of the majority…in Parliament.
Yes, Gan Kim Yong said the whip will not be lifted. This means that the PAP MPs must toe the line, and vote for the new salary. They have no choice, they cannot vote against it. But would they stand up and speak against it? No, it is a PAP policy and they must be disciplined, cannot break rank, it is us against them. Those who believe that PAP MPs can speak to oppose PAP policies, this sitting will tell them rudely that they can forget it in important issues like this one.
The stage is set for a bi partisan debate, with PAP for and others against the recommendation. It will be 6 against 81. And the vote is final and the recommendations will be approved. The bill is passed, or as good as passed even before Parliament sits. This is democracy, the rule of the majority…in Parliament.
MRT jams - Another expert recommendation
I heard that some experts are recommending that SMRT provide incentives in the form of monetary rewards to commuters to take the trains outside the peak hours. I think this is a very ingenious suggestion. How come no super talent can think of such a brilliant idea?
I am seriously considering doing that now and see how much money is SMRT going to incentivize me. Okay, my office starts work at 9 am. Now if I were to take the 7am train, I could miss the peak hours and get some money back from SMRT. If one way is 20c, two ways will be 40c daily. For 22 days, that will be a saving of $8.80 a month. Whoa, one year nearly $100! Not bad at all.
Now what am I going to do arriving at the office one hour earlier? One day two hours, one hour earlier to arrive and one hour later to leave, that is 44 hours a month or 500 over hours that I need to stay in the office.
Is it worth it for the $100 savings? Of course lah. Can spend more time doing own things or have more time to do office work. The bosses will be happy and may get higher variable bonuses some more. That means the monetary reward is more than $100 a year.
Ok, SMRT, please quickly implement this money reward schemes and reduce the jams during peak hours. It is definitely a win win win situation. I win, SMRT wins and my company also wins.
Simply brilliant.
I am seriously considering doing that now and see how much money is SMRT going to incentivize me. Okay, my office starts work at 9 am. Now if I were to take the 7am train, I could miss the peak hours and get some money back from SMRT. If one way is 20c, two ways will be 40c daily. For 22 days, that will be a saving of $8.80 a month. Whoa, one year nearly $100! Not bad at all.
Now what am I going to do arriving at the office one hour earlier? One day two hours, one hour earlier to arrive and one hour later to leave, that is 44 hours a month or 500 over hours that I need to stay in the office.
Is it worth it for the $100 savings? Of course lah. Can spend more time doing own things or have more time to do office work. The bosses will be happy and may get higher variable bonuses some more. That means the monetary reward is more than $100 a year.
Ok, SMRT, please quickly implement this money reward schemes and reduce the jams during peak hours. It is definitely a win win win situation. I win, SMRT wins and my company also wins.
Simply brilliant.
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