Budget 2023 debate: Poh Li San on 'grey rhinos'
In Parliament on Thursday (Feb 23), MP Poh Li San elaborated on four “grey rhinos” charging at Singapore - threats that we can see coming right at us but may choose to do nothing about. She noted that Singapore is heavily dependent on foreign manpower, with labour shortages across many industries including aviation, cleaning services, construction, F&B, retail and healthcare. Automation is one way to combat this, but it can be an expensive investment, especially for small companies. Ms Poh asked if the Government can consider an interest-free loan scheme with a reasonable loan period under the National Productivity Fund to encourage SMEs to invest in automation. She also spoke about energy security, asking if Singapore has a fall-back plan should its electricity supply be disrupted for a prolonged period, and whether the country has the necessary expertise to accelerate its transition to green energy. The other two “rhinos” she touched on were the “silver tsunami” of an ageing population as well as rising sea levels.
In Parliament on Thursday (Feb 23), MP Poh Li San elaborated on four “grey rhinos” charging at Singapore - threats that we can see coming right at us but may choose to do nothing about. She noted that Singapore is heavily dependent on foreign manpower, with labour shortages across many industries including aviation, cleaning services, construction, F&B, retail and healthcare. Automation is one way to combat this, but it can be an expensive investment, especially for small companies. Ms Poh asked if the Government can consider an interest-free loan scheme with a reasonable loan period under the National Productivity Fund to encourage SMEs to invest in automation. She also spoke about energy security, asking if Singapore has a fall-back plan should its electricity supply be disrupted for a prolonged period, and whether the country has the necessary expertise to accelerate its transition to green energy. The other two “rhinos” she touched on were the “silver tsunami” of an ageing population as well as rising sea levels.
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