A much used (recently) “fake” statistic is what is arguably, called “predicting the future statistics”?
After writing “Fake News vs Fake Statistics?” (Jan 23) – the article “Professional services to add 5,500 jobs a year until 2020” (Straits Times, Jan 25) is probably one of the best examples of arguably, another type of “fake” statistics, in addition to the eight examples of eight types of “fake” statistics I wrote about two days ago, vis-a-vis the current hoo-hah about “fake” news.
Today’s example is about making predictions of future statistics, without mentioning any current statistics.
The subject article states that “A new road map to help boost the professional services sector is aiming to generate 5,500 new jobs for professionals, managers, executives and technicians every year until 2020.
Firms in these industries employed more than 230,000 people in 2016”
Why is there no breakdown of the 230,000 jobs into Singaporeans, PRs and foreigners?
How many of the 5,500 new jobs will go to Singaporeans, PRs and foreigners?
What’s the point of the consistent rhetoric that lots of jobs are being created in “sector after sector” – when it is estimated that hardly any of the jobs change this year went to Singaporeans?
In just the last 13 days – there were three news reports about jobs creation (38,500 jobs (5,500 + 28,000 + 5,000)) – and we are not even counting those similarly reported in the last 12 months or so!
… “Masterplan for ‘digital district’ in Punggol North launched; area to generate up to 28,000 tech jobs” (Straits Times, Jan 21)
… “Maritime sector road map to create S$4.5 billion in value-add, make over 5,000 new jobs” (Straits Times, Jan 13)
As an analogy – its like your employer telling you that the CEO deserves a big bonus, as their job creation plans which they have been talking about every year are doing very well, and are on course to create another 5,000 jobs this year, but never tell you actually how many jobs were actually created last year, or the last two or threes years?
Uniquely Singapore!
Leong Sze Hian
