By a Concerned citizen
SG50: 50 Things you can bet that are not going to change in 2015 (i.e. they are here to stay come what may)—hope to be proven wrong (not in any order of merit):
1. More new citizens and Permanent Residents
2. Increasing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the main growth strategy
3. Rising cost of living and healthcare
4. Rising costs of raising kids
5. Inflation at around 2.5% (well under control—hehe)
6. Status quo for CPF interest rates for various accounts
7. Zero, negative or low productivity growth
8. Subsidies (or lack of them) for middle-income households and those living in private homes
9. Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) losing their jobs through natural attrition of by way of retrenchment only to be replaced by cheaper foreign labour force
10. Relentless search by jobless PMETs for equivalent jobs even at salaries much lower than what they previously earned
11. Jobless PMETs ending up as taxi drivers and security guards
12. Over 40s not being able to find jobs (permanent or on contract) with decent starting salaries
13. No minimum wage laws
14. Part-time jobs paying $7 per hour or less
15. Training, training, training…the magic bullet to occupational woes at both the macro and micro levels
16. Underemployment of degree holders
17. Predominance of certain nationalities in banks and financial institutions, IT jobs, the retail and F&B sectors
18. Shortage of nursing staff
19. Senior citizens foraging for and collecting empty drink cans and carton boxes
20. Senior citizens clearing tables and washing dishes at hawker centres, foodcourts, and fastfood outlets
21. Competition from foreigners in begging, collection of carton boxes, selling packet tissue paper
22. $120 for a license to sell tissue paper
23. Abuse of Productivity & Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme
24. Streaming of primary school students through PSLE
25. Sponsorship and scholarships for foreign students
26. Shortage of hospital beds
27. Jam-packed trains during peak hours
28. MRT breakdowns—a matter of frequency and severity
29. Public Transport Committee (PTC) ‘s recommendation and Land Transport Authority (LTA)’s acceptance of fare increase
30. Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums remaining high and out of reach except for the super rich
31. Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantry charges
32. Cyclists riding on pedestrian walkways and flouting traffic laws
33. Housing prices (both public and private) softening
34. Low bank deposit interest rates
35. Casino earnings
36. North-bound traffic jams (increase in vehicle entry charges and enforcement of traffic fines notwithstanding)
37. Some people continuing to scratch their heads and wonder why Singaporeans are angry
38. Singapore’s “high ranking” in the World Press Freedom Index
39. Credit card debts in the billions.
40. More shopping malls popping up in neighborhood.
41. The haze
42. Sorry state of SG soccer
43. MSM’s all-important role in “nation building”
44. Section 377A of Penal Code
45. Fixing the opposition—increase in intensity expected
46. Lack of transparency and accountability
47. The blame game
48. Use of the word “affordable”
49. Battle cry and propaganda for GE2015/16
50. High ministerial salaries and MP allowance
Footnote:
CPF withdrawal—changes imminent based on announcement that the CPF Advisory Panel will be making recommendations in Feb 2015—not sure if this would also affect Medisave withdrawal limits.
