I refer to the article “Budget 2013 will be out on Feb 25” (Straits Times, Jan 12).

Key focus on productivity again?

It states that “Among other things, a key focus of the budget will be on improving productivity levels to help businesses hit by the manpower crunch.”

Same old strategies?

We seem to be hearing more or less, the same strategies and similar policies in the recent years. Let’s look at the statistics of the desired outcomes that we were supposed to have achieved.

So, have all the measures, initiatives, schemes and money poured into improving productivity in recent years worked?

Productivity measures are not working?

With productivity growth failing miserably at 0.2, – 7.3, – 3.6, 11.1 and 1.0, from 2007 to 2011, why have we been continuing to repeat the consistent rhetoric that the lower-income’s wages can only go up with productivity growth?

According to the article “Singapore’s productivity rates in 2012 not very positive: Tan Chuan-Jin” (Channel NewsAsia, Sep 11), productivity for the last year may continue to be poor.

Help elderly in healthcare?

With regard to “It will also take in to account concerns voiced in the ongoing Singapore Conversation, including the cost of living as well as health care for the elderly”, instead of increasing Medishield deductibles and premiums from 1 March 2013 which affects the lower-income elderly more – if we really want to help “healthcare for the elderly”, we could spend some money on Medishield. After all, Medishield does not cost the Government any money, as it is a self-funding scheme paid by policyholders. (“MediShield: Deductibles increased by 5 times historically for elderly?“, Nov 12)

Help with cost of living?

If we really want to help on “the cost of living”, why do we keep increasing basic goods and services, like property tax for 3-room HDB flats and Service and Conservancy Charges (S & CC), etc? (“HDB rentals up 10%, but property tax up 118%?, Nov 27 and “Each town council different, but raise charges together?“, Oct 3)

Foreign labour tightened?

As to “He, however, hinted that the foreign workers policy will remain. “We can’t take a break from the tightened foreign labour policies”, this “tightened foreign labour policies” may not be reflected in the full yearly statistics which still show the rate of increase in the foreign workforce at 7.6 and 5.7 per cent in 2011 and 2010, respectively. (“S Pass increased 12.5% last 6 months“, Oct 1)

Higher wages?

The article “Singapore’s Budget Day on 25 Feb” (Channel NewsAsia, Jan 12) said that “Restructuring – so that we get to a higher level of productivity and wages. Otherwise, five years from now, we will be listening to the same problems. We will be in the same situation.”

In this regard, the real median income growth for workers (excluding Employer CPF Contributions) was negative in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 (June) and only 0.5 per cent in 2010. (“2012 real income declined – 2.3%?”, Nov 30), and I estimate that the real basic wage growth in the last 12 years or so (1999 to 2011), was negative for 4 of the 8 occupational categories in Singapore, and only around 0.5 per cent or less per annum for the other 4 categories. (“Workers’ rights: 12 years of near negative wage growth for almost all workers?“, Dec 9)

Help for public housing?

In respect of “housing, childcare, and healthcare remain important priorities for the government”, why are we implementing measures that may make it harder for particularly lower-income elderly 3-room HDB flat owners to monetise their “asset enhancement” flat for retirement (“‘Property cooling’ or ‘Political heating’ measures?, Jan 11), make it more difficult to qualify for a second HDB Concessionary loan, increase the rental for HDB rental flats when their household income exceeds $800 a month, etc? (“PAP Transformation Series – 18 suggestions to reform HDB“, May 23, 2011)

Review backed up by statistics?

In the United Kingdom, the Government recently published a mid-term review which is an assessment of what the Government has achieved so far. (“Coalition midterm review: an unhappy exercise with minimal upside“, The Guardian, Jan 9)

In this connection, perhaps Singapore should also have periodic reviews of what we have achieved versus what we set out to do.

Leong Sze Hian