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	<title>geraldgiam.sg</title>
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	<link>http://geraldgiam.sg</link>
	<description>Reclaiming our five stars - democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:48:20 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Sylvia Lim: Increase size of cohort entering local universities</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/sylvia-lim-increase-size-of-cohort-entering-local-universities/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/sylvia-lim-increase-size-of-cohort-entering-local-universities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:48:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[university]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1264</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Currently, the proportion of Primary One cohort admitted into the local subsidized universities is targeted to rise to 30% by 2015, with the new university and institute coming up. I would like to ask if MOE will review this 30% target with a view to increasing it.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Sylvia Lim: R&amp;D spending needs to be accounted for</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/sylvia-lim-rd-spending-needs-to-be-accounted-for/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/sylvia-lim-rd-spending-needs-to-be-accounted-for/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:26:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Singapore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[research]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1259</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I agree that it is necessary for Singapore to invest heavily in R&#038;D for our nation’s future. However, it is critically important to measure the output and impact of our R&#038;D investments to ensure that it is money well-spent.

This is admittedly not an easy task. The results from research may take years to materialise, and some R&#038;D may be undertaken for strategic reasons, the benefits of which may not be easy to quantify. Nevertheless, any public spending needs to be accounted for.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Low Thia Khiang: Access to good mentors key to helping entrepreneurs succeed</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-thia-khiang-access-to-good-mentors-key-to-helping-entrepreneurs-succeed/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-thia-khiang-access-to-good-mentors-key-to-helping-entrepreneurs-succeed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:22:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Singapore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[entrepreneurship]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1257</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[While financing is important, access to good mentors is equally key to help these entrepreneurs succeed. Are there sufficiently experienced mentors available to advise our entrepreneurs? If not, are there plans to invite successful business founders or venture capitalists from places like the Silicon Valley to provide sound advice to these start-ups and evaluate their business plans?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-thia-khiang-access-to-good-mentors-key-to-helping-entrepreneurs-succeed/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Low Thia Khiang urges Govt to &#8220;seriously look&#8221; into housing options for homeless</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-thia-khiang-urges-govt-to-seriously-look-into-housing-options-for-homeless/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-thia-khiang-urges-govt-to-seriously-look-into-housing-options-for-homeless/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:34:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[poverty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HDB]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homeless]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public housing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1254</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How can we aspire to be a First World country with a world class public housing programme if we have homeless citizens camped out in public parks? The HDB’s proposition for those who are unable to purchase a HDB flat or to qualify for a HDB rental flat is to seek help for accommodation from family members. The HDB should know well that with the size of HDB flats, most families do not have a spare room to accommodate another distressed close family member’s family. The end result would be strained relationships between family members which could adversely impact the family structure as a basic unit of our society. Is the creation of more strained family relationships desirable?]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
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		<title>Low Thia Khiang: It should not be all about economic benefit</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-thia-khiang-it-should-not-be-all-about-economic-benefit/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-thia-khiang-it-should-not-be-all-about-economic-benefit/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:22:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[price increases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hawker centres]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wet markets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1249</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We should guard against looking at all available resources from the economic benefit perspective. We must not forget the ultimate aim of any economic benefit derived from our policies will only be meaningful if the outcome is a better society with happier citizens.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sylvia Lim asks for transparency in electoral boundaries report</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/sylvia-lim-asks-for-transparency-in-electoral-boundaries-report/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/sylvia-lim-asks-for-transparency-in-electoral-boundaries-report/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:15:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[elections]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[budget]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[election]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sylvia Lim]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Workers' Party]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1241</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The government must know that Singaporeans are skeptical about the re-drawing of electoral boundaries.  It would be an improvement to have advanced notice and some transparency in this process.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/sylvia-lim-asks-for-transparency-in-electoral-boundaries-report/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Growth must improve welfare of Singaporeans: Sylvia Lim</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/growth-must-improve-welfare-of-singaporeans-sylvia-lim/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/growth-must-improve-welfare-of-singaporeans-sylvia-lim/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:10:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Singapore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GDP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[income inequality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sylvia Lim]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[welfare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Workers' Party]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1238</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Our ultimate aim of growth is to improve the welfare of all citizens.  GDP is not an adequate indicator of welfare, and the government’s pursuit of growth in the recent years has had serious side-effects on the quality of life, and social cohesion.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/growth-must-improve-welfare-of-singaporeans-sylvia-lim/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Low productivity not our workers&#8217; fault: WP&#8217;s Low</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-productivity-not-our-workers-fault-wps-low/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-productivity-not-our-workers-fault-wps-low/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:29:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Singapore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Workers' Party]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foreign workers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1225</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang has slammed the PAP government for seemingly suggesting that Singaporean workers have only themselves to blame for their low incomes, because of their low productivity and skills. He said it was easy to blame our local workforce for low productivity when it was the Government which opened the floodgates to foreign workers.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/03/low-productivity-not-our-workers-fault-wps-low/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>10</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Comments to Wanbao about Singapore&#8217;s social welfare system</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/02/comments-to-wanbao-about-singapores-social-welfare-system/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/02/comments-to-wanbao-about-singapores-social-welfare-system/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[welfare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social safety nets]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1215</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The local Chinese evening daily, Lianhe Wanbao (联合晚报), emailed me earlier this week to ask for my comments on Singapore&#8217;s social welfare system. This was with reference to the article in The Economist (&#8221;The stingy nanny&#8221;), which I blogged about on 15 February. The Wanbao article appeared this evening.
The following are my responses to the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/02/comments-to-wanbao-about-singapores-social-welfare-system/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Economist calls Singapore a &#8217;stingy nanny&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/02/the-economist-calls-singapore-a-stingy-nanny/</link>
		<comments>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/02/the-economist-calls-singapore-a-stingy-nanny/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:52:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gerald Giam</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Singapore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[welfare]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://geraldgiam.sg/?p=1207</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The respected British weekly, The Economist, has published a cutting criticism of Singapore's social safety net in its latest edition dated 13 February 2010, titled "Welfare in Singapore: The stingy nanny". Here are some excerpts.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://geraldgiam.sg/2010/02/the-economist-calls-singapore-a-stingy-nanny/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
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