SpotlightOnSingapore

Casino levies hit $288 million: spell out how windfall will be used

It’s been disclosed in Parliament that the government raked in $288 million in casino levies in the last 18 months.

It was also revealed that tax revenues from the integrated resorts experienced a net increase of $900 million in 2010 and $1.1 billion in 2011.

These are astronomical sums so naturally many people have been wondering what the government has been doing with this windfall. It claims that the bonanza is used to provide support and care for Singaporeans.

Now I don’t think many people are satisfied with this claim. Can the government spell out specifically how it has been using this bonanza to help Singaporeans?

This is a bonanza like the billions collected under the COE system. Where did all the COE billions go to? Into a black hole never to be accounted for?

Singapore is probably the only first world country in the world where an army of its elderly citizens, some well into their 70s, still need to slog it out as menial workers to make ends meet.

When it comes to helping this group of the elderly poor, the government has so far been tight-fisted. It pontificated about the evils of welfarism while at the same time unashamedly raiding the national coffers to pay themselves millions in salaries and bonuses.

If there is one group of people the bonanza can be of tremendous help, the elderly poor surely rank high up on the list of priorities.

They have been marginalized by our million dollars Ministers for far too long. The consequence is there for all, including tourists, to see: an army of elderly Singaporeans still toiling away in their twilight years.

Shame!

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Singapore’s shame: still toiling in her 70s, a common sight in a country in the top ten wealthiest Sovereign Wealth Fund countries.

3 Responses to “Casino levies hit $288 million: spell out how windfall will be used”

  1. //Singapore is probably the only first world country in the world where an army of its elderly citizens, some well into their 70s, still need to slog it out as menial workers to make ends meet.//

    Didn’t you read TCJ’s fb posting. It’s not about govt not wanting to give them support, rather, the elderlies have pride and backbone, they just insist on working and some even refuse help.
    I guess nobody would have to feel “pitiful” towards them had we not know for a fact that they are slogging 6-8 hrs work for a mere $600-$800. If they were making a decent fair wage say at $1500, and given free transportation and complimentary annual state check ups, that would be justify those ‘bad money’ aka revenues from the casinos. Instead, they pushed away their responsibility by saying the elderlies have pride.

    Stupidity Knows No Bound  -  July 10, 2012 at 11:49 pm

  2. A good call – asking the govt to spell out how the windfall is to be used.
    Though such voices may not be loud enough for now, it will build up as more Singaporeans awake from their slumber induced by the ruling party. The opposition MPs should also add to this voice.
    Singaporeans WANT to know – all that revenue from the casinos – how does it benefit the ordinary Singaporeans?

    64 hexagrams  -  July 12, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    • With them sleeping on the job, it may just be lip service to placate the public. We want to see some form of commitment.

      rogerpoh  -  July 12, 2012 at 8:57 pm


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