Comments on: Don’t be a stupid cupid

By: Desmond

Desmond — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:55:53 +0000

fund religious based organisations to “match make”? you got to be joking right? why do state funds have to be used on religious organisations? and the organisations you are talking about are usually Christian and Islamic. Hinduism and Buddhism doesn’t have official “social gathering” among it’s members.

and with the type of people Christians have, i don’t think i want my tax dollars to fund institutions that can become like USA’s where religion is not separated from the state (as anyone who follows US politics knows).

keep my tax dollars away from religious organisations. we are a secular state, no religion(s) should get any money from it.

By: Donaldson Tan

Donaldson Tan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:46:13 +0000

What’s the point of incentives to encourage marriages and giving birth when Singaporeans will only take time to research on available incentives when they plan to get married? I concur with the author that the key issue here would be tackling the mindset that marriage only comes in naturally as one’s progress milestone after achieving a stable career.

By: Tan Kin Lian

Tan Kin Lian — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:39:51 +0000

Hi Gerard,

You said:
It appears that the government’s solution to the problem of young people not getting married or marrying too late is merely a tweaking of the same approach that has delivered limited success so far, that is, to fund the matchmakers.

I agree that the Government is trying the same approach that has failed for more than 20 years (since 1985). This failed approach comprises of:

a) Give generous tax rebates (but little for those who do not pay tax)
b) Require co-payment into a baby account
c) Complicated system with difficult rules of eligibility and cutoff dates

Unfortunately, this is the Singapore approach. The incentivs are generally inadequate and complicated. One has to spend a lot of time and seek a lot of explanation to understand the incentives, and usually are disapponted at not qualifying. Many people give up.

What is a simpler approach? They are the measures adopted in several countries, with a higher degree of success:

a. Give tax breaks
b. Give monthly allowance for a child
c. Adequate child care facilities, largely tax funded
d. Subsidy or cash grants for child delivery

I like the system in Australis:

a. AUD 5,000 cash grant to pay delivery charges
b. 5 months of paid leave for the mother
c. Allowance for the mother who stop working to take care of the baby during the first two years.

By: jason

jason — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:53:13 +0000

just import babies from china…problem solve

By: A Tan

A Tan — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:33:05 +0000

Andrew

“encouraging abstinence before marriage”

Waz wrong with premarital sex?

The issue is commitement and responsibility, not whether got licence or not!

By: Singleton & Proud of it!

Singleton & Proud of it! — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:23:12 +0000

Surprised that no-one from TOC is challenging the premise that S’poreans need to breed more.

Does the economy need it? Maybe not?I don’t know.

But we S’porean’s should not blindly trust govmin on this issue. A govmin that has Ms “Pang Sai” as a poster FT MP does not deserve our blind trust.

By: 123

123 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:25:53 +0000

The root of the problem has not been tackled.
It seems all solutions given by govt are aimed at the more middle and highly educated group.
More can be done at the eariler stages before one goes out to work.
Most have the mentality of earn more money… earn more money… as priority…

Something would have to be done to change this.

By: James

James — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:22:37 +0000

Marriage is not a production model. It is an institution that fundamentally even the PAP fail to grasp beyond demographics.

Marriage is about how you treat one and another and even in your family. It’s a total mindset.

How then can this govt be worried about fertility rates like it is some pragmatic inventory recycling project?

You should see Barrack Obama’s speech. It puts us to shame when we have lost our spirit and promise, the latter which has become disfigured. Is there any inspiring mindset change coming that reaches out to the young adults and the young at heart?

If I were American (for all the flaws of USA), I’d be inspired … wish I was there.

By: loop

loop — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:41:12 +0000

Marriage & having children are personal decisions. If the person marry someone that does not meet their expectations, divorce may ensue thus creating more social problems all the more for those with kids. We should attract more single & well paid foreigners to Singapore instead. Then Singaporeans will not have to limit themselves to locals as marriage partners.