Comments on: Lonely out of the gravy train http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/03/lonely-out-of-the-gravy-train/ a community of Singaporeans Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tang Li http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/03/lonely-out-of-the-gravy-train/comment-page-1/#comment-146150 Tang Li Sun, 16 May 2010 15:26:44 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/?p=21153#comment-146150 The British used to have a fabulous sit-com called Yes Minister and later on Yes Prime Minister, about a hapless cabinet minister dealing with the civil service. One of the great lines of that show was a cry from the Permanent Secretary to an underling tell the underling to, "Always get the difficult bit out of the way in the title." So it is with government over here. Get the difficult bits into the speeches and addresses. Say you are going to do x,y and z and then don't do anything. The British used to have a fabulous sit-com called Yes Minister and later on Yes Prime Minister, about a hapless cabinet minister dealing with the civil service.

One of the great lines of that show was a cry from the Permanent Secretary to an underling tell the underling to, “Always get the difficult bit out of the way in the title.”

So it is with government over here. Get the difficult bits into the speeches and addresses. Say you are going to do x,y and z and then don’t do anything.

]]> By: 10sen http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/03/lonely-out-of-the-gravy-train/comment-page-1/#comment-135187 10sen Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:55:25 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/?p=21153#comment-135187 As long as the less unfortunate amongst us are treated like undesirables...should be ashamed to even try to call our country a 'first world' country.. As long as the less unfortunate amongst us are treated like undesirables…should be ashamed to even try to call our country a ‘first world’ country..

]]> By: Disgusted http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/03/lonely-out-of-the-gravy-train/comment-page-1/#comment-134794 Disgusted Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:39:20 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/?p=21153#comment-134794 Once again, another MP who is completely devoid of compassion and lacking even an iota of care for the people on the ground. So sad that an MP so quick to accept and justify millions in pay actually has the guts to say that  his Ministry “would be very slow in stipulating (to operators) how best to run the concession policy”. That's right. We all know what they're most efficient and lightning fast with. Making us Pay And Pay. Once again, another MP who is completely devoid of compassion and lacking even an iota of care for the people on the ground. So sad that an MP so quick to accept and justify millions in pay actually has the guts to say that  his Ministry “would be very slow in stipulating (to operators) how best to run the concession policy”. That’s right. We all know what they’re most efficient and lightning fast with. Making us Pay And Pay.

]]> By: Ivan http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/03/lonely-out-of-the-gravy-train/comment-page-1/#comment-134456 Ivan Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:07:03 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/?p=21153#comment-134456 Khairulanwar, you shouldn't be talking about the physically-disabled. You should also include the mentally-disabled. Also, if I were you, I would have used a stronger word, "<strong>ashamed</strong>" to substitute for "disappointed" in your sentence: "However much pride the Transport Ministry derives from its engineering marvels in building underground MRT lines in urban-dense Singapore, they should similarly feel <strong>disappointed</strong> that they lack the capacity and resources to conduct a feasibility study to discern an appropriate concessionary plan." All in all, a good piece, in spite of a few grammatical mistakes. <em><strong>Moderating Editor:</strong> Thanks Ivan, for your encouragement. Do let us know the exact mistakes if you spot any in future articles so that we can immediately correct them.</em> Khairulanwar, you shouldn’t be talking about the physically-disabled. You should also include the mentally-disabled. Also, if I were you, I would have used a stronger word, “ashamed” to substitute for “disappointed” in your sentence:
“However much pride the Transport Ministry derives from its engineering marvels in building underground MRT lines in urban-dense Singapore, they should similarly feel disappointed that they lack the capacity and resources to conduct a feasibility study to discern an appropriate concessionary plan.”
All in all, a good piece, in spite of a few grammatical mistakes.

Moderating Editor: Thanks Ivan, for your encouragement. Do let us know the exact mistakes if you spot any in future articles so that we can immediately correct them.

]]> By: Spurs in PRs Ass http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/03/lonely-out-of-the-gravy-train/comment-page-1/#comment-134410 Spurs in PRs Ass Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:47:06 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/?p=21153#comment-134410 How to be compassionate in this godforsaken place that is not even a country or nation? You handicap? Go see your MP. Your kid retarded? What to do? You work harder lah. No money? Go and work harder lah, you lazy bastard. Earn only $1000/mth? Go SPUR and up-skill, re-skill, multi-skill. No legs, no hands, cannot work? Got relatives or not? Got relatives then you cannot get $360/mth. Culture and change can only start from the top. Whatever we do is just spitting in the wind. TIME  FOR  CHANGE.  VOTE  OPPOSITION ! How to be compassionate in this godforsaken place that is not even a country or nation? You handicap? Go see your MP. Your kid retarded? What to do? You work harder lah. No money? Go and work harder lah, you lazy bastard. Earn only $1000/mth? Go SPUR and up-skill, re-skill, multi-skill. No legs, no hands, cannot work? Got relatives or not? Got relatives then you cannot get $360/mth.
Culture and change can only start from the top. Whatever we do is just spitting in the wind.
TIME  FOR  CHANGE.  VOTE  OPPOSITION !

]]> By: Enigmatic http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/03/lonely-out-of-the-gravy-train/comment-page-1/#comment-134369 Enigmatic Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:13:19 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/?p=21153#comment-134369 We cannot  expect  these lofty vultures  who  are  what  they  are today : be it through front door  or back door or by way of sycophany  to emphatise  with those on the fringe of society : physically impaired,  lower   rung  of    stratifiaction  etc etc  and expect  delivery  of concessionary   measures /consideration  from  them  - instead  just rhetoric   and blah blah  rather than  deeds  that are seen  in action  as their precarious  loft  can easily  tumble  and  uncontrollably   descend them -  welfarism  seem lost  or foreign  on their radar  screen .        We cannot  expect  these lofty vultures  who  are  what  they  are today : be it through front door  or back door or by way of sycophany  to emphatise  with those on the fringe of society : physically impaired,  lower   rung  of    stratifiaction  etc etc  and expect  delivery  of concessionary   measures /consideration  from  them  – instead  just rhetoric   and blah blah  rather than  deeds  that are seen  in action  as their precarious  loft  can easily  tumble  and  uncontrollably   descend them -  welfarism  seem lost  or foreign  on their radar  screen .       

]]> By: andrew leung http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/03/lonely-out-of-the-gravy-train/comment-page-1/#comment-134344 andrew leung Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:41:03 +0000 http://theonlinecitizen.com/?p=21153#comment-134344 MM Lee likes people to crawl to him and beg for mercy. MM Lee likes people to crawl to him and beg for mercy.

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