In ST article “Use levy for maids’ training and welfare” (11 Sep), ST reporter Amelia Tan argues for the use of maid levy for maids’ training.
She cites official data showing only “42 per cent of maids.... stayed with the same employer for at least a year” as well as employers’ complaints of the poor quality of maids.
Amelia then suggests the government uses the levy to train maids but at the same time acknowledges “it is common for maids to leave for Singapore without any training at all”.
Her logic seems upside down for obvious reasons:
1 It is the responsibility for maid agencies to have properly-trained and certified maids before they start work.
2 The MOM should take maid agencies to task for bringing in untrained maids or sub standard ones.
Why should the government assume the role of a nanny and take over the responsibilities of maid agencies using taxpayers’ money?
Since more than half of the maids have chosen to leave their employers less than a year into their contract from 2009 to 2011, is this still unclear there are underlying issues which the authorities have failed to address?
If a salary increase resolves the problem of poor quality, the argument should be for the government to act in employers’ interests by reducing of the levy in order for employers to increase their salary. There is no reason for the government to be collecting such a high percentage of a maid’s salary in the form of a levy.
Maid courses must be funded by maid agencies and not the government. Similarly, driving courses for bus drivers and courses for construction workers must also not be funded by taxpayers but the companies which employ them.
It is wishful thinking for Amelia to suggest a domestic workers’ hub funded by the government in high-cost Singapore because the PAP government runs Singapore Inc with only the bottom line in mind.
At the end of the day, money talks and maids would want to decide where and how to let their hair down. Would Amelia agree to taking a pay cut and allow SPH to decide on her recreational needs?
Phillip Ang
TRS Contributor