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Oct 19, 2013
Writing Feedback / Discuss the impact of the influx of immigrants and foreigners into Singapore. [4]
A recently conducted survey has shown that 80 percent of the population are turning xenophobic. While it is true that the influx of foreigners and immigrants has brought about negative impacts such as frustration and resentment felt by the locals, the positive impacts still overweigh the negative impacts. The influx of foreigners and immigrants helps Singapore to alleviate the consequential effects of the low birth rate and enhance Singapore's competitiveness in sports.
( Is this thesis statement alright?)
There is no doubt that foreigners and immigrants help Singapore to alleviate the effects of a low birth rate. The Department of Statistics has shown that the total fertility rate has experienced a sharp downward curve, from 1.86 in 2000 to 1.24 in 2010. The apparent low birth rate causes a decreasing old-age support ratio, and a shrinking workforce due to the low number of babies born and a higher life expectancy. A shrinking workforce would cause an inevitable decreased productivity rate, and subsequently a decrease GDP growth. Also, a shrinking workforce will cause some foreign investors to "think twice" before investing in Singapore as they would not want to invest in a country with a small labour force. A higher old-age ratio result in a heavier economic burden on the government, due to the increasing number of elderly they have to support. For example, the government has to provide healthcare and elderly care facilities for those who are unable to support themselves. The effects of a low birthrate have consequences and hence it is necessary to rely on foreigners and immigrants to solve these problems. The influx of foreigners and immigrants will increase the old age support ratio with the increased number of young people, to lower the burden of the government. The workforce would also be enlarged and would once again attract investors and increase GDP growth. Most important of all is that the immigrants will help to increase the fertility rate due to a larger number of babies being born. Thus, the influx of foreigners and immigrants help to alleviate the consequences effects of a low birth rate.
Secondly, the influx of foreigners and immigrants helps to enhance Singapore's competitiveness in sports. Few singaporeans are willing to commit full-time and with passion to sports. This situation has arisen mainly due to the lack of capable coaches and the reputation of Singaporean sportsmen and woman. Foreigners and immigrants will help to gain glory for Singapore by winning medals. An example of this would be the South-east Asian games held in 2011, where immigrants who represented less than 7 percent of the 437 participants but won more than a third of the 42 gold medals. By increasing the reputation of Singapore's athletes, Singaporeans come to think Singapore as a "sporty" country, and are thus more inspired to take on sports and be more competitive to earn glory for Singapore. Other than winning medals for singapore, foreigners and immigrants help to enhance Singaporeans' competitiveness in sports by coaching the locals. With coaches from other countries that have more expertise due to their diverse experience in other countries, they could help the local sports community.
However, the influx of foreigners and immigrants have also causes frustration and resentment for the locals. One evidence of the frustration felt by the locals is the facebook group "I am tired of non-english speaking staff in singapore" which has gained thousands of supporters. Foreigner and Immigrants cause a strain on the local infrastructure, namely in the areas of transportation and education. Statistics have shown that foreigners and immigrants make up about 40 percent of the local population. This also means that disaster for local infrastructure for example, overcrowding in transport systems. It also increases competition in education as university places become harder to get for citizens, due to the cost of fees and the talent of foreigners and immigrants. The strain on the local infrastructure has sparked tensions between the two parties.
Though there are some negative impacts, it is still necessary that there is an increase in the number of foreigners and immigrants. The positive impacts such as alleviating the effect of a low birth rate and enhancing Singaporeans competitiveness in sports definitely outweigh the negative impacts.
A recently conducted survey has shown that 80 percent of the population are turning xenophobic. While it is true that the influx of foreigners and immigrants has brought about negative impacts such as frustration and resentment felt by the locals, the positive impacts still overweigh the negative impacts. The influx of foreigners and immigrants helps Singapore to alleviate the consequential effects of the low birth rate and enhance Singapore's competitiveness in sports.
( Is this thesis statement alright?)
There is no doubt that foreigners and immigrants help Singapore to alleviate the effects of a low birth rate. The Department of Statistics has shown that the total fertility rate has experienced a sharp downward curve, from 1.86 in 2000 to 1.24 in 2010. The apparent low birth rate causes a decreasing old-age support ratio, and a shrinking workforce due to the low number of babies born and a higher life expectancy. A shrinking workforce would cause an inevitable decreased productivity rate, and subsequently a decrease GDP growth. Also, a shrinking workforce will cause some foreign investors to "think twice" before investing in Singapore as they would not want to invest in a country with a small labour force. A higher old-age ratio result in a heavier economic burden on the government, due to the increasing number of elderly they have to support. For example, the government has to provide healthcare and elderly care facilities for those who are unable to support themselves. The effects of a low birthrate have consequences and hence it is necessary to rely on foreigners and immigrants to solve these problems. The influx of foreigners and immigrants will increase the old age support ratio with the increased number of young people, to lower the burden of the government. The workforce would also be enlarged and would once again attract investors and increase GDP growth. Most important of all is that the immigrants will help to increase the fertility rate due to a larger number of babies being born. Thus, the influx of foreigners and immigrants help to alleviate the consequences effects of a low birth rate.
Secondly, the influx of foreigners and immigrants helps to enhance Singapore's competitiveness in sports. Few singaporeans are willing to commit full-time and with passion to sports. This situation has arisen mainly due to the lack of capable coaches and the reputation of Singaporean sportsmen and woman. Foreigners and immigrants will help to gain glory for Singapore by winning medals. An example of this would be the South-east Asian games held in 2011, where immigrants who represented less than 7 percent of the 437 participants but won more than a third of the 42 gold medals. By increasing the reputation of Singapore's athletes, Singaporeans come to think Singapore as a "sporty" country, and are thus more inspired to take on sports and be more competitive to earn glory for Singapore. Other than winning medals for singapore, foreigners and immigrants help to enhance Singaporeans' competitiveness in sports by coaching the locals. With coaches from other countries that have more expertise due to their diverse experience in other countries, they could help the local sports community.
However, the influx of foreigners and immigrants have also causes frustration and resentment for the locals. One evidence of the frustration felt by the locals is the facebook group "I am tired of non-english speaking staff in singapore" which has gained thousands of supporters. Foreigner and Immigrants cause a strain on the local infrastructure, namely in the areas of transportation and education. Statistics have shown that foreigners and immigrants make up about 40 percent of the local population. This also means that disaster for local infrastructure for example, overcrowding in transport systems. It also increases competition in education as university places become harder to get for citizens, due to the cost of fees and the talent of foreigners and immigrants. The strain on the local infrastructure has sparked tensions between the two parties.
Though there are some negative impacts, it is still necessary that there is an increase in the number of foreigners and immigrants. The positive impacts such as alleviating the effect of a low birth rate and enhancing Singaporeans competitiveness in sports definitely outweigh the negative impacts.
