The upcoming Budget will likely flesh out details for implementing the recommendations of the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE), especially those related to boosting innovation and helping workers acquire relevant skills, economists said.

The CFE’s report also hinted that the tax system might be tweaked to make it more progressive and pro-growth.

After more than a year of consulting more than 9,000 stakeholders, the 30-member CFE unveiled its recommendations last Thursday.

The Budget on Feb 20 is expected to contain some details on how these strategies will be implemented.

It will give more support to small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and workers keen on upgrading their skills, said Maybank Kim Eng economists Chua Hak Bin and Lee Ju Ye.

OCBC economist Selena Ling agreed, noting: “Given the growing skills and jobs mismatch in the Singapore economy, there will be greater focus on the acquisition of deeper skills that will help workers stay relevant in an age of rapid technological change.”

The emphasis on remaining open and connected means that public infrastructure investment is also expected to remain strong, said Mr Chua and Ms Lee.

This includes the upcoming port in Tuas, the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail and Changi Airport Terminal 5.

However, social transfer schemes might take a pause this year after sharp increases in previous years, they noted.

The CFE’s recommendation to review and refine the tax system might also be fleshed out this year and in subsequent Budgets, said economists.

Citi economist Kit Wei Zheng said: “The CFE recommendations hint at higher taxes.

“While the current cyclical backdrop dictates that such measures would likely not be announced in Budget 2017, changes (are possible) in the next five to 10 years, with the timing dependent on the electoral cycle.”

Possible tweaks include raising the goods and services tax, while mitigating the impact on lower-income households through direct transfers.

Hikes in personal income tax rates – with larger increases for those in the higher income brackets – might also be implemented, said Mr Kit.

chiaym@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 13, 2017.
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Singaporeans can get their training, learning and employment needs from portal after revamp

The national Jobs Bank will soon be more than just a portal for Singaporeans to find work as the Government moves to improve its functions to better guide workers on skills training and match them to relevant jobs.

The Jobs Bank, run by statutory board Workforce Singapore (WSG), will be integrated with the SkillsFuture Singapore-run Individual Learning Portfolio, which will curate information about the training and jobs landscape when it is rolled out in stages from this year.

When it is complete, Singaporeans will be able to turn to one portal for their training, learning and employment needs, spokesmen from both agencies told The Straits Times yesterday.

The move comes at a time of muted employment growth in a slower economy and a push for higher productivity.

It also follows recommendations by the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) to integrate both portals.

The CFE, tasked to chart the next phase of growth, released its report last Thursday.

It said two shifts were required for Singaporeans to adapt and thrive in a constantly changing jobs market: People have to work towards acquiring deep skills throughout their life; and more opportunities must be created for them to use their skills on the job.

It also called on the Government to make the Jobs Bank more user-friendly.

The WSG spokesman said the portal will be enhanced this year, and details will be released at a later date.

He said the enhancements are a result of feedback from users.

Jobs Bank was launched in 2014 under the Fair Consideration Framework.

Employers must post vacancies on the portal for positions paying less than $12,000 a month for at least 14 days, before they can apply to hire a foreigner on an Employment Pass.

Observers and users suggested that a revamped Jobs Bank could take on the role of a virtual career advisor for job seekers.

Singapore Human Resources Institute president Erman Tan and Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad said the portal could recommend jobs and courses to people based on profiles they create listing their work experience, for instance.

Labour MP Patrick Tay said applicants could have their skill gaps identified for them based on their curriculum vitae and the requirements of the jobs they are applying for.

Data from the portal could also be used to inform policy on training, observers said.

If the data shows that jobs in certain sectors are not being filled by locals, training agencies can focus efforts on helping locals develop the required expertise, said Mr Joshua Yim, chief executive officer of recruitment firm Achieve Group.

WSG said it does not track the number of job matches or how long new hires stay on, as job seekers and employers are not required to provide updates after a successful job search or hire.

Research analyst Sean Yeo, 27, who has used the career resources section of the Jobs Bank to help prepare for interviews, suggested having a feature to track the progress of a job application.

For instance, it would show whether an application has been seen by companies, and if an interview has been scheduled.

“For a fresh graduate navigating the unfamiliar job search process for the first time, this would be very helpful,” he said.

This article was first published on Feb 13, 2017.
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Detailed checks of trees at Palm Valley completed after tragic incident on Saturday

It strikes suddenly and quietly, like a cancer, he said, with nothing to suggest its health is deteriorating.

This is the unpredictable nature of trees, according to Mr Ng Tze Peng from TP Arbo Care, and he said there is no reason for the public to be worried.

On Saturday afternoon, a tembusu heritage tree at the Singapore Botanic Gardens fell without warning, killing Ms Radhika Angara, 38, and injuring four people, including her husband.

At 40m tall, 6.5m in girth and over 270 years old, the tembusu tree had been given a clean bill of health during an inspection in September.

Mr Ng, a former NParks arborist, attested to the agency’s commitment to look after trees around the country by staying at the forefront of inspection methods and equipment.

Speaking to The New Paper yesterday, Mr Ng said: “Accidents do happen. And the arborists are trying to minimise this. They do their best to maintain Singapore’s city-in-a-garden image.”

AVOID SPECULATION

With investigations underway, NParks’ Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, Dr Leong Chee Chiew, yesterday urged the public to avoid speculating on the cause of the tree fall.

He said: “Going forward, we are already developing modelling techniques to better understand the structural behaviour of trees under varying environmental conditions such as rain, wind and soil.

“As we are still investigating the tree fall incident, we should not speculate on the cause of the tree fall and allow the due process to take its course.”

In an update yesterday, NParks assured the public that it shares concerns about the safety of its trees in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, especially in view of the recent spate of intense weather conditions.

“We have completed a detailed check of all the trees in Palm Valley, and they are safe. We are also in the midst of conducting more checks for trees in the vicinity of the Palm Valley (such as the Rainforest) and all the Heritage Trees in the Gardens,” said Dr Leong, in a statement.

Palm Valley, the site of the tree fall, remains closed to public access while clearance operations and investigations are ongoing.

The rest of the Gardens remains open and is safe for the public to visit.

The latest tree fall brings to mind other incidents here.

Last month, a yellow flame tree on Amoy Street fell, damaging at least two cars.

In September last year, a 12-storey-high heritage tree – a Purple Millettia over 60 years old – crashed through five apartments in Outram.

In both cases, NParks pointed to strong winds and rain that could have weakened the trees.

Outlining NParks’ rigorous regimen to inspect and prune trees, Dr Leong said tree maintenance staff have been trained to become certified arborists since 2001.

The certification is done with the US’ International Society of Arboriculture, one of the highest international standards.

From 2012, inspections for trees along expressways and major roads have been done once every six to 12 months – up from once every 12 to 18 months – to adapt to the increasingly unpredictable and severe weather conditions.

Measures to improve the general health of trees, such as routine mulching to supplement the regular fertilisers and pruning techniques to improve the structure and balance of trees, were also put in place last November, Dr Leong added.

This article was first published on Feb 13, 2017.
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