TR EMERITUS

During a dialogue session with Paya Lebar residents last Sunday, an irate resident asked Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan to clarify the CDC bonuses:  Question: This month it was on the internet that there is some Northwest CDC staff getting 8 months bonus. My question now is it true and if it is true, why is public money being... 

一些庞大的政府部门，今后可能需要超过一名全职部长来管理。 　　李显龙总理昨天在总统府会见媒体，谈论内阁最新一轮改组时表示，随着经济体变大，人口增加，国民要求提高，加上制度变得复杂，不管是国家发展部，国防部，教育部或贸工部，部长的职责都比过去繁重。 　　他可以确定的说，像贸工部，外交部，教育部和国防部，肯定需要多名政务部长或政务次长来协助部长的工作。“我得说当中几个较庞大的部门，其实需要超过一名全职部长。不过那是我们今后必须考虑的问题。” 　　总理也指出，尽管政府的工作比过去庞大和沉重，但政府部门照旧维持在15个，包括总理公署... 

EDITORS' NOTE:  The writer is currently a General Practitioner in private practice. He wishes to remain anonymous. I refer to the report on 30 March 2009 - "1,000 foreign-trained docs still not enough" (read article here). Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed that the public healthcare sector needs to recruit a thousand more...