I refer to Mr Lim Kay Soon’s letter “Singapore can consider levy on foreign PMEs” (June 4). [Link]
Singapore has done well to make itself a premium investment centre for businesses around the world. This has created opportunities for the development of professional and business skills that can be used worldwide.
In this regard, a local pool of professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) enhances Singapore’s competitive edge. It also encourages school-leavers to take on careers that can help to develop the expertise needed to continue building the economy to world-class standards.
One can find this in industries such as shipbuilding and offshore engineering. Local PMEs have benefited from the experience acquired from multinationals in the past and have then continued to build the industries of today’s standards.
The same can be done for industries Singapore hopes to develop now and in the future, such as chemicals, energy, environmental engineering, infrastructure and information technology.
As Mr Lim mentioned, foreign PMEs will leave and core skill sets and experience may be lost for future generations of Singaporeans aspiring to build Singapore to the next level.
This need not be so when a skilled core of local PMEs could be available to pass their knowledge to younger Singaporeans. I find it a waste that qualified PMEs are ending up as cabbies or insurance and estate agents.
As Mr Lim suggested, on a level playing field, which a PME levy would produce, real skills would be recognised, not just a difference in salaries.
Ho Wye Ming
*Letter first appeared in TodayOnline: Voices, 5 June 2014, “Local pool of qualified PMEs vital to S’pore industries”