As such, I am appealing to AWWA to advise or possibly lessen the poor lady’s predicament.

the government or some parts of it are not working for the critizens of singapore…

maybe once a long time ago they did…but along they way some of them “forgot” it…

to a number of them the citizens own them everything…be it rich, middle class or poor…

those around them of course gain advantages so it reach a point they think they are better…

anyway what does it matter….as long as many of these particular breed of self centred folks are in key positions…be it in singapore or in the UN etc…

well…future generations and children will have much to look forward to for the future…

loss of bio-diversity, green house effect, over-fishing, deforestration, poor becoming poorer thus life becomes unbearable, future wars over resources,…

no worries…these self centred folks can have all the money and material stuff they want…

wunder do they know ultimately in the end…they in-directly and directly contributing to the end of humanity in the years ahead…

post #142 on September 6th, 2009 9.23 pm

thanks for sharing your personal experience on VWOs. from what you mention it does seem like those people fine-tuning the system to prevent abuse may have gone overboard.

also, it seems like those plugs put in place in the past may itself contribute to the plight of the poor of today. as the value of money depreciates over time, some digits in means testing may be due for updates to reflect today’s cost of living more accurately.

if i were a foreigner, i too may hold the view that the govt should do more to aid the needy. afterall, being an affluent nation, that excess wealth accummulated ought to be channeled back to society- the people.

;)

That statement led me to ponder my role in one of the many (thousands in fact) VWOs on this tiny island. I can still remember times when I struggle hard to decide if I need to ‘advise’ these needy families not to disclose their rental income, or their incomes of a few hundreds dollars (with the rental) might prevent them from getting subsidies.

That brings me to the rule of law. I’ve seen the criteria for the various subsidy schemes amended so rigorously over the years. Call it an attempt to fine tune our systems so that to maximize the benefits. Or rather these are just more and more steps taken to plug those tiny holes in our nation’s coffers, where traces of honey still drips into the mouths of hungry families below. I wonder. But there’s a curse in social service, that if you are too passionate and rigid, you won’t last the first year. I am fortunate to last 7 years…

Oh, there’s another so-called “Destitute Persons Act” to ‘take care’ of the ‘down and out’. And for those who still think we’re ok, there’s Murphy’s Law (“If anything can go wrong, it will”).

post #138 on September 3rd, 2009 12.14 am

////as someone who works in a vwo, i keep seeing the same group of people coming forward to seek financial aid… they are young, look healthy, and very often, one hand pushing a pram and the other carrying an infant, and behind them are one or two more kids running around & making a scene in the office… you get the picture. yes, this is a picture of reality i see with my own eyes almost everyday.////

is anything done to plug the loopholes to prevent exploitation?

post #132 on September 2nd, 2009 8.20

////everyone is right from their point of view : ) ////

its not about opinions, unless to you, anyone who does not agree with you is wrong.

as someone who works in a vwo, i keep seeing the same group of people coming forward to seek financial aid… they are young, look healthy, and very often, one hand pushing a pram and the other carrying an infant, and behind them are one or two more kids running around & making a scene in the office… you get the picture. yes, this is a picture of reality i see with my own eyes almost everyday.

and oh yes, our dear gahmen does not provide baby bonus & other benefits to the fourth child in the family… have you ever asked yourself why is this the case when the gahmen seems so desparate for newborns?

What uptight Singaporeans. Don’t look like someone stole your lunch bowls. [/i]

my ricebowel is unbreakable.give away free people also don’t want..serious kosher stuff..i wanted to train new disciples, but deciples compliant carry water from 2nd storey to groundfloor is hardwork even if they carry via elevator…you tell me lor
i am goin to the grave with my 18th palm tigeroil arukin kungFOOL stance…

Why has part of my post been discarded?

Kindly restore it as the remaining part makes no sense. Tks.

As if being poor is not punishment enough, they must still be made the butt of jokes
by our elites. I wish the day will come when these jokers need to seek this secret of
longevity for themselves and their loved ones!

Let me help out Italanlan if I may. Truly, as we all should do so for one another from time to time.

It seems like there is a growing commodities job market here in Asia (including Singapore I might add). Go tell them how well you did in university and that you deserve a job because your ancestors and many Singaporeans build the nation in which they do business and profit. That will be leveraging on the hard work of others, wouldn’t it? But who cares? Forget dignity. It’s all about the money, baby!

Relax! Smile! Laugh!

What uptight Singaporeans. Don’t look like someone stole your lunch bowls.

everyone is right from their point of view : )

indeed well spoken
are you talkin about leekuanyew perhaps when laulee is throwin rock @ the new nmp? what is the new english word? hallputtin or sumtin ssamthing…

I think I am doing Yamamoto a favour by asking him/her to read beyond local news and events. Look upon it as me teaching him/her to fish. He/She can say thank you if he/she is in a grateful mood. You know, reading and listening to qualified authorities be it through interviews, op-eds or research papers, etc, will surprisingly expand one’s mind. Well, it stops one from listening to that growing little angry voice in one’s head complaining about his/her insignificant place in this world. When that happens there is no better cure than the cure of self-justification. We must admit that the harsh realities of life, inevitably, do lead the weak to wonder down that path. Remember, the learning never stops.

I honestly do sympathise with those like Yamamoto because, as I have hypothesised elsewhere, there are a lot of people who truly feel they have been hard done by. Being incapable of processing the hardship they face, they throw rocks at the most convenient target.

By the way, the responses and comments are supporting the hypothesis I formed in another topic. I am almost close to forming a conclusion about the mental state of the aggrieved Singaporean.

I wonder whether you have read the news on some homeless & unemployed poor soul being sent to jail for pitching a tent along east coast.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_418240.html?vgnmr=1

It is quite difficulty for even poor people who are trying to be independent in their own way – e.g pitching a tent for shelter. Now tell me, which 1st world country (oops) will send people to jail for this kind of things.