Senior Citizens are liabilities

Singapore has always regarded Senior Citizens as liabilities to the State.It was a very unfair practice set by the Ntuc to reduce the salary of workers when they reached 60 years and later 62 years old. Now they are talking about restoring it to a performance base entity. What nonsense is the government doing?
Ntuc is govt. Govt. is Ntuc. Yes! there is no free lunch everywhere. But are senior citizens given a fair deal in our search for gainful employment? Has the employers' mindset changed to accommodate older workers into the workforce.

Talk is cheap. Lim Swee Say was talking about working cheaper, faster and better. Yes! all these can be done by the foreign workers who worked long hours, less pay and without CPF. So, where do we stand as a S'porean and for that matter an older S'porean? Is the government's policy of admitting so many FWs to help S'poreans or to help themselves laughing to the bank? Now Ntuc is coming with a new gimmick of performance base appraisal for senior citizens not to cut their pay. Is this feasible? Will the employers change their mindset to welcome old workers or take in more FWs for cheap, better, faster work and the government reaped levies on all FW imports into the State coffer. And ultimately into the high salary of the Ministers.

What have our country and society turned into after 50 years of rule by the PAP? Have we lost the compassion of humankind to even look into the basic needs of the Senior Citizens, whom had played a part in moulding the Singapore of today. The sad truth of our Senior Citizens is, many of them who do not have an nest-egg to live a quality life, are been marginalised into miserable living in a first world S'pore.

The abyss created by the government in all aspect of living, be it housing, food, medical, are all escalating day by day. Do our government really care for its citizens or care more for its number one status in the eye of the world? Everything looks good from the outside but nothing is good from the inside for many citizens. The government prospers day after day. The citizens, many living a life hanging in the balance. Do we want this to happen to our children and children's children?

Patrick Lee S J (leesjuanpat)
Senior Citizen
Health is wealth. Knowledge is wisdom.