SINGAPORE STILL NEEDS FOREIGN WORKERS

SINGAPORE, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Singapore will still need foreign workers to
oil its machinery and run its economy even though there is a global slump, the
city-state's Parliament was told.

Its Acting Manpower Minister, Gan Kim Yong, said although the economic
downturn would affect supply of foreign workers, the economy still needed them.

"Many of them take on jobs that Singaporeans may not want to do or are
unable to fill, like in construction and marine," he said.

The minister was asked whether the government would review current foreign
worker employment quotas that were set at a time when Singapore was experiencing
high growth, low retrenchments and strong job creation.

The minister said foreign workers helped to keep Singapore companies
competitive against global competitors and keep jobs within the republic.

"If companies become uncompetitive in Singapore, they may decide to relocate
to other countries and we will lose more jobs. This will be a lose-lose
outcome," said Gan.

He said the government would continue to monitor closely the employment
situation to help Singaporean workers become more employable and more resilient.

The minister reminded companies employing foreign workers to comply with the
labour laws and work permit regulations regardless of the economic situation.

"If they employ foreign workers, they are expected to provide work for these
workers. If employers have no work or insufficient work and are no longer in a
position to take care of their well being, they should repatriate the workers,"
he said.

There are already worries among the nearly a half-million foreign workers in
Singapore about losing their jobs particularly in the manufacturing,
construction and services industries, which are already being affected by the
deep recession.

-- BERNAMA