REACH 196 - Which part of Budget 2021 resonate with you (SK)

19 Feb 2021 (11am - 7pm)

REACH

[10:22 am, 19/02/2021] +REACH: S Pass quota cut not likely to slow S'pore's manufacturing growth: Analysts

Manufacturing firms are concerned that the coming cuts in the S Pass quota for the sector will raise wage costs and lead to labour shortages.

But analysts expect that the change will not have a damaging effect on the growth of the manufacturing sector, where productivity has generally been improving.

More: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/s-pass-quota-cut-not-likely-to-slow-manufacturing-growth-analysts

[11:30 am, 19/02/2021] +REACH: Dear contributors,

Welcome back! 😊

⏰ We will be opening the chat from 11.35am to 7pm today. ⏰

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The topic will be posted shortly.

Thank you

Megan 😊

[11:35 am, 19/02/2021] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢 

Thank you for all of your feedback so far. We’d love to hear more from you! Please continue to share your views! 🤗

💬 Which Budget 2021 measures resonate with you? 

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat delivered the Budget 2021 statement in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 16). This year's Budget, titled Emerging Stronger Together, combines measures to help families, workers and businesses weather the COVID-19 crisis in the immediate term, with measures to accelerate structural adaptations for the long term. 

Some key highlights: 

▶️ S$900 million Household Support Package to help families with expenses 

▶️ S$5.4 billion boost to SGUnited Jobs & Skills Package to support hiring of 200,000 locals and provide up to 35,000 training opportunities this year 

▶️ Jobs Support Scheme extended for worst-hit sectors as part of S$11 billion COVID-19 Resilience Package 

▶️ Support for low-wage workers, lower-income families, children with special needs and charities 

▶️ More incentives to encourage early adoption of electric vehicles 

👉 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/budget-2021-heng-swee-keat-emerging-stronger-covid-19-singapore-14208888 

👉 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/budget-2021-singapore-jss-household-support-package-covid-19-14209224

👉 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-push-green-infrastructure-bonds-spur-private-sector-14228042

👉 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/petrol-duty-rate-road-tax-rebates-cars-taxis-motorcycles-14209200

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[11:41 am, 19/02/2021] +Caleb: hmm

[11:51 am, 19/02/2021] +REACH: Singapore's push for green infrastructure bonds will spur private sector into action, say experts

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced in his Budget speech on Tuesday (Feb 16) that the Government will issue green bonds on select public infrastructure projects, with up to S$19 billion of public sector green projects already identified. 

A green bond is a type of financial instrument designed to have environmental or climate-related benefits. They allow companies to integrate their sustainability strategies with their capital structure, analysts told CNA. 

More: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-push-green-infrastructure-bonds-spur-private-sector-14228042

[11:55 am, 19/02/2021] +Ben: 🤣 Only for men apparently,  women not allowed?  "meetings through floor-to-ceiling air-tight glass panels with local businessmen and businessmen from other countries"

[0:12 pm, 19/02/2021] +Rama: Why only one gender catered for!?

[0:19 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Hmm.

So not only encourage government to issue Green Bond.

But also spur private sector to issue Green Bond.

Interesting.

[0:22 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

And the interest rate for Green Bond will be slightly above Singapore Government security bonds eg. Singapore saving bond which offer 0.97% interest over 10 years.

[0:25 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

And the cost of borrowing will be lower than borrowing from the banks.

Spurring more Green Bond issue in Singapore.

More foreign capital flowing into Singapore to go Green.

And consolidating Singapore as Green financial hub.

[0:30 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

So overall Singapore will have :-

Money -> Capital for Green development -> Company will have green projects -> develop expertise in manpower, material, engineering know how, methods in green projects -> result in business revenue and profit from green projects -> economic growth -> increase GDP -> government more tax collection.

[1:00 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/mayo-clinic-ai-study-shows-covid-19-shots-work-well-in-real-world

AI show that vaccines efficacy are effective against the covid pandemic.

[1:18 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

A smart move by opening connect@changi facility - to bring overseas business travelers to the meeting.

1. Dispensing with shn - return to normacy - high value business travelers will travel.

2. Spur air freight to Singapore.

3. It is like extending our air transit to the meeting place - but no additional risk (because we are successful to curb imported infection in transit) - but yet allow business activities to resume.

4. Being the 1st mover in this initiative, it help our air hubs, business travelling, MICE activities to recover faster ahead from the world.

[1:22 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

Not additional risk to infect our staff and bring back to community :-

1. Our staff got PPE protection in Changi transit and got no infection.

2. Similar protection is accorded to this meeting facilities - will have similar outcome - and yet can spur business travelling, air freight and mice activity.

[1:53 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/study-in-israel-shows-pfizer-vaccine-85-per-cent-effective-after-first-dose

Study in Israel shows Pfizer vaccine 85% effective after first dose

[1:55 pm, 19/02/2021] +REACH: Tune in from 2pm - 3pm today on-air & on Money FM 89.3 Facebook for the Singapore Budget Conversations, which will be helmed by Minister Indranee Rajah. 🎤📻

The radio talk show has been organised by REACH in partnership with MOF for this year’s Budget.

[1:59 pm, 19/02/2021] +REACH: https://www.facebook.com/moneyfm893/videos/335740741103745

[3:54 pm, 19/02/2021] +Nat: Is this really the point here?

[4:07 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. Similar arrangement can be made for big MICE event like WEF (World Economic Forum) and catalyse other big forums like Shangri la security forum, etc.

2. This will spur mice activities, boost business travelling, rejuvenate our air travel.

3. The bubble air travel and safe corridor, couple with :-

- no SHN 

- but protected health environment

- vaccination

Etc.

- will start the returning to normalcy.

[4:16 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

That's this Meeting delegates are treated as " transit passengers" except they stay longer for meetings and conventions - but wrap in a protected bubble without infecting the community.

[4:29 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: Depends if this was just lip service or people want to change attitudes. If the national newspaper disregards women as business people, how will society change?

[4:30 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: I know people think we have bigger problems, and yes no one wants to focus on this. It doesn't take much for a newspaper to print Business People, instead of Business Men. Small things lead to big changes.

[4:31 pm, 19/02/2021] +Nat: Really? This again?

[4:32 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

We may have to operate in this mode for a few years until the pandemic is declared over.

[4:33 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: Happy to move on. If no one is bothered, fine.

[4:33 pm, 19/02/2021] +Berny: why are we nitpicking on the choice of word used?

[4:33 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: We can talk more about how to support each other during a pandemic.

[4:34 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: Hey Berny - are words not important to you?

[4:34 pm, 19/02/2021] +Caleb: Then business-human?

[4:34 pm, 19/02/2021] +Berny: Not that important to me tbh

[4:34 pm, 19/02/2021] +Caleb: To suit all types of humans

[4:34 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: What's wrong with business people? I don't get why people object to that.

[4:35 pm, 19/02/2021] +Berny: I dont object to that, but why are we instead, focusing on that?

[4:35 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: I take note because it's printed in our national newspaper, not a webforum.

[4:35 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: Our national newspaper of a country where we are trying to be a modern welcoming educated society. Are we not?

[4:35 pm, 19/02/2021] +Berny: News is about opening of a meeting venue, not homosapien discussion

[4:35 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: Do we not care what they say or how they represent us?

[4:36 pm, 19/02/2021] +Nat: This is nitpicking. I have been to tons of webinars focused on gender equality

This is not how you fix problems. If you want to fix problems, fix problems in your own community, workplace, etc 

Identify instances where there are gender discrimination and if you want to be a male ally (that's the term), go for it 

Otherwise, what you do here is a lip service too, tbh

[4:36 pm, 19/02/2021] +Berny: Write in to sph or the reporter then

[4:36 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: That's true, everything we do here on this forum is lip service.

[4:36 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: It's just words, right?

[4:37 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: We don't fix problems. We debate and discuss.

[4:38 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: Sure, can't argue with that. Same goes for anything we talk about here. Write to your MP.

[4:38 pm, 19/02/2021] +Berny: Thats why u rarely see me in action lately

[4:38 pm, 19/02/2021] +Ben: I'll get back to the REACH topic :)

[4:38 pm, 19/02/2021] +Nat: Look. Words are just words. Unless there is a cloud of ambiguity like whatever happened a few sessions ago when the sentence was difficult to understand, there isn't a big issue there. 

Organisations worldwide vowed to scrap the term "master", "slave", "blacklist" and "whitelist" after BLM, but how many continued on? Yes it may have racist roots in a way or so, but it's already deeply embedded into technology terms today.

[4:39 pm, 19/02/2021] +Nat: Or do you expect every female colleague to rage at you when you casually say "you guys"?

[4:39 pm, 19/02/2021] +Lim Suang: House Rules (short version of our Terms of Use) to keep in mind: 

1. Be kind and respectful. We all want to be in a safe space to share our views. 

As much as i disagree with Ben on this subject, i feel that we should be respectful towards each other.

[4:41 pm, 19/02/2021] +Boon: 👍

[4:41 pm, 19/02/2021] +REACH: [Sent by Gov.sg – 19 Feb]

As of 12pm, MOH has preliminarily confirmed no new cases of locally transmitted COVID-19 infection. 

There are 14 imported cases, who had already been placed on Stay-Home Notice or isolated upon arrival in Singapore. 

MOH will share further updates in its press release that will be issued later tonight.

go.gov.sg/moh190221update

[4:44 pm, 19/02/2021] +Nat: On the topic of MICE, what is the current requirements for attending a large-scale event? Cuz I thought if vaccination is required but we know some are not able to be vaccinated due to medical allergy or whatever outlying conditions (rather than if they don't want to get vaccinated), a number of people would be left out

[4:48 pm, 19/02/2021] +Nat: Likewise with other possible plans in the future to allow for only those who are vaccinated to go to this place, be able to do this and that, etc 

It will become an obstacle even as people are starting to talk about vaccine passports elsewhere in the world

[5:38 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/covid-19-vaccine-pfizer-biontech-start-testing-pregnant-women-14230620

Pfizer, BioNTech start testing COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women

[5:56 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: 

I believe they're 2 phases in vaccination :-

1. Vaccines for emergency use - voluntary vaccination

2. Vaccines for public use - mandatory vaccination

[6:45 pm, 19/02/2021] +REACH: Dear Contributors,

⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight!

Megan

[6:53 pm, 19/02/2021] +Alvin: Gdnite Megan

[6:53 pm, 19/02/2021] ☸️  Danny 心: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-vaccine-for-seniors-aged-70-year-old-moh-14236660

Seniors aged 70 and above to get COVID-19 vaccination letters over next 3 weeks: MOH

[7:00 pm, 19/02/2021] +REACH: Dear Contributors,

We will be closing the chat for today.

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Have a great weekend, goodnight!

Megan 😄

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