Why George Gascon, photographer of LKY, going home?

It was reported that the Gascon, personal photographer of LKY from the ST, had returned to the Philippines to be a farmer despite LKY persuading him to stay on as a citizen. Why would a person reject the good offer from LKY to stay in this first world city?
 
Let’s do the number game and see why this guy preferred to go back and be a farmer, owning his own farm and probably a big land and house to his name. If he stayed, he would likely be retired by 60. Assuming both he and his wife were professionals, they would likely to own a 4 or 5 rm HDB flats and each would still have about $100k to $200k in their CPF accounts after 20 years here. On retirement, both would receive maybe $1000 each monthly to live forever and the flat fully paid. They would survive but no frills, no cars.
 
By choosing to return to the Philippines, they would cash out everything. The flat could fetch between $400k to $600k. And the CPF would have to return them maybe $300k in total. Their net cash would be roughly S$1m or 32.5 million pesos. A flat in the Philippines costs about 1/10 the price in Singapore. He could get a very big house in the rural area for $100k and maybe a big farm for another $100k. He could buy a decent car for $30k. And he would be left with $650k cash or est 20m pesos in his bank savings, not stuck in a CPF kind of savings that he cannot touch.
 
With the cost of living that is roughly 1/10 of Singapore’s, he would be a very rich man! And he could send his children to the best schools. And if they need a good job, send them to Singapore to go through the same cycle and to return to the Philippines later as rich men one more time.
 
Why would he want to retire in Singapore with no cash except those stuck in the CPF, untouchable except for the monthly stipends and waiting to pay a medical bill that he cannot afford to, no cars and only a HDB flat? He is now a very rich farmer and very comfortable with his savings.
Gascon is definitely no daft Sinkie.
 
PS. I am assuming that he had a flat to sell with big profits. Many Pinoys and those from neigbouring countries would be doing the same when they retired. Sell everything and go home very rich.

Lee Wei Ling: Lesson from LKY

“Let’s not miss the chance to learn the lessons Papa’s death taught us about ourselves,” Lee Wei Ling said in her eulogy to her father.
Calling Westerners “the white man”, she said, “Never be impressed by the white man who thinks he is superior to you. We are no less and probably more capable than he is. If Papa and his Old Guard colleagues did not believe that, they would not have fought for independence and built up this country.”

Lee Wei Ling should say that to her brother and in Parliament to help the super talents have some confidence in themselves and in Singaporeans, and not be worshipping foreigners like God. See the mad scramble to hunt for foreign talents whenever a CEO position is left empty? Take a guess who will be the next CEO of SGX. No prize for the correct answer. I think the decision has probably been made and it would not be a daft Sinkie.
 
The generation of founding fathers of modern Singapore was made up of men and women of confidence, who believed in themselves and in Singaporeans, that we could build this country into a better place for Singaporeans. And they were not proud men and women that were blinded by their pride not to accept foreign help. Foreign help would be welcomed when a situation called for it, not calling for foreign help in every situation. Singapore was practically built with the hands of the founding fathers who believed in themselves and in Singaporeans. Foreigners were welcomed to teach and train us at times when we did not have the expertise, not to take over and rule us. We learn to walk and to run on our own, not forever holding on to a foreign crutch. Talented foreigners should be welcomed to compliment us, not to supplant us and replace us.
 
Look at the present bunch and ask yourself if they believe in themselves and in Singaporeans? Look at how they tremble in the presence of foreigners, how they go gaga in the presence of foreigners, how they faint when a position is vacant and how they scramble to find a foreigner to fill it up quickly. Look at how silly they look in the presence of foreigners who could con them into giving them millions and billions to do whatever they want.
 
Lee Wei Ling must instruct them to read her papa’s biography, make it compulsory reading, and to learn from him about believing in themselves, don’t shrink or shrivel in front of foreigners, and like Heng Swee Kiat said, to look at the foreigners in their eyes, wear high heels if needed, classical LKY teaching. Actually it is about confidence and not how tall you are. Did they learn anything from him? Wei Ling, better be quick before they bring in another foreigner to sit at SGX.

TAFEP – No job discrimination against PMETs, only misunderstanding

In the Today paper today there is an article ‘Allegations of bias against S’poreans top list of workers complaints’. But read the content of the article you will find the title misleading. All or most of the complaints about job discrimination against Singaporean PMETs are just alleged, not true. It is all a misunderstanding. The foreigners were employed and promoted because they were better and more suitable than the Singaporean PMETs according to Roslyn Ten, the general manager of TAFEP. ‘..many stem from misunderstanding and not from genuine bias’, and she urged the employers to explain to job seekers why they were not hired and not promoted.
 
This is in line with the findings by NTUC that confirmed Singaporeans really lacked the skills sets that the foreigners have. Singaporean PMETs should not complain anymore and should make serious efforts to learn from the PRC Chinese, India Indians, the Pinoys, Myanmese and all the foreigners why they have all the qualifications and skills sets that Singaporeans did not have.
 
Now that the truth is out, PMETs, please do not anyhow complain and spread lies. NTUC and TAFEP have confirmed you are NG. And please do not mislead Chuan Jin and MOM and make them run around like fools, even setting up Jobs Bank and FCF that are totally unnecessary and a waste of time and resources. Ok Chuan Jin, you can close down these two set ups. They are irrelevant. You have been misled.
 
Just to double confirm what this Roslyn said, and I quote the Today paper, ‘Reiterating that many unfair employment practices were largely due to miscommunication, she said clear cut cases of discrimination against Singaporeans are rare. “It’s really more of …perception,”’ What more can you say? No more arguments.
 
OK case close. No discrimination and please do not raise the issue of discrimination anymore. Two powerful pro Singaporean agencies and Singaporeans, one Patrick Tay, an Asst Secretary General of NTUC/Director of PME Unit and another, Roslyn Ten, a general manager of TAFEP said so. These are authoritative statements of truth, not misunderstanding or opinions.
 
Listen all PMETs, you deserved to be taxi drivers and security guards and stop complaining. As to our education system, how they failed to produce Singaporeans without the right skills sets is puzzling but not my problem. I am not paid millions to give you the answer. Thank you very much.
 
Singaporean PMETs are so lucky that the truth is out and now they know the real reason why foreigners are employed and promoted and preferred by employers. It is your fault. No more lame excuses.
 
PS. TAFEP stands for Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices. And when TAFEP said it is fair it must be fair. And when NTUC said you did not have the skills sets, you do not have the skills sets. Period.

Hark ye hear the angel sings…

A new king born today, and in a corner across the world, another Lee Kuan Yew is born. His full name shall be Jeyaprakash Lee Kuan Yew, son of a bus driver.
Tamil Nadu is blessed with a new savior. Soon the three wise men from the East will visit him and shower him with gold and incense and kneel in front of him to pray for hope to his people.
 
And in the same town, a huge statue will be built in his name. Hope they will get the face of the picture right this time and not that of Tony. Someone please send them the right picture before it is too late.

PS. As an afterthought, the Singapore govt should copyright his name world wide to prevent it from being misused or abused. What do you think?

From a country to a hotel – LKY’s legacy?

Refreshing the memories and speeches of LKY on the TV channels for one week, the central theme of LKY’s younger days was all about building a Singapore for Singaporeans. Today it is very clear that Singapore is more or less a hotel for all. Foreigners are unloaded like rubbish into the island as the celebrated foreign talents, qualifications and integrity unquestioned, to take over many good jobs in the island.
Some even said this island belonged to everyone, all and sundry of the world. Everyone is welcomed except the daft Sinkies who are told to get lost if they did not like it. Daft Sinkies are good at two things, be security guards and drive taxis. The more glorified security guards are the NS boys, but minus the money in everything, and getting pittance for their contributions to the hotel. Oops, to the NSmen they are serving their country, a country you know.
 
And when they have completed serving their country, they would have to compete with foreigners with no duties and obligations to serve a country that they only know as a hotel, for their benefits. Foreigners will come and go, making their piles, while the daft Sinkies will stay to pay the taxes and dues to keep the hotel in working condition and to maintain peace and order for the foreigners.
 
Now the big question. Is this what LKY wanted? Is this a legacy of LKY? Did he change his vision for Singapore, from a country to a hotel, from a country for Singaporean to a hotel for the rest of the world? Can anyone enlighten me on this legacy? Or it is not LKY’s legacy? He was around when the transition and transformation took place, from a country to a hotel.
 
And I remember him saying, ‘This is my country, this is my people’.
 
Which is which?