something close to my dustbin

check this out,

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070310/5/singapore263041.html
Saturday March 10, 8:17 PM
Govt will help the poor but many helping hands still needed: Dr Balakrishnan
SINGAPORE: The government will continue to help the poor, says Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, but many other helping hands are still needed. Dr Balakrishnan believes a more holistic approach can better help this group stand on their own feet.
His comments came after Members of Parliament responded to the slew of help measures announced on Thursday.
MPs did not hold back when they spoke passionately about how more can be done to help the needy.
One MP asked a pointed question on whether increasing the Public Assistance or PA allowance by a mere $30 a month to $290 is sufficient.
"My single constituents told me that they needed to skip one meal a day to live on the $260 per month and now, MCYS is going to give them one dollar more a day but one dollar a day will not be able to buy them one meal a day in any hawker centre," said Dr Lily Neo, MP, Jalan Besar GRC.
Dr Balakrishnan responded, "There will always be arguments on whether a sum we've decided is enough or not and as I've said yesterday, frankly one limiting factor must be the sum that we give through public assistance cannot be so generous as to erode the work ethic."
The Minister said the grassroots organisations and voluntary welfare groups can also lend a helping hand to those in need.
Dr Neo said, "Then am I to understand that MCYS cannot provide adequately for the most vulnerable group of our society and that PA recipients must go and seek help from others?"
"We will always need the many helping hands model, not because the government is broke. We can always do more, we can always raise GST but that's not the tone of the society that we are trying to create. What I'm designing is a system in which public assistance can and should be complemented by other sources of help," said Dr Balakrishnan.
Dr Balakrishnan added that the system was set up with a certain amount of tension - and it has been a healthy tension.
That said, Dr Balakrishnan stressed that despite a strict criteria on assistance schemes, no Singaporean needs to starve or be deprived of shelter.
And when some MPs informed him that certain helplines were not working or that policies can be more flexible to help the needy, Dr Balakrishnan invited members to call and give him feedback directly. - CNA/yy
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Dear Sir,

lets get over this helping our people thing. I might believe what you are saying, You might believe what you are saying. Errr What are we saying ????

Seriously, main question here is who are we really helping?

One wise man once said, Give food to the hungry and he will eat for a day, teach him to earn his own keep and he will launch his own IPO( or something like that).

My point, Have you checked your vicinity yet?
No?
Ok lets get out of orchard and lets get to the heartlands( the other heartlands, Plaza singapura does not count).
Fellow singaporeans , at a glance , it would seem that they have hit pay dirt!
Yes Pay dirt.
DIRT, keyword.
Seen an increase in "freelancing miners"?
No?
let me be blatantly clear.
OUR SENIORS (no not Senior minister, bless the old chap) rummaging through dustbins in an attempt to salvage a few cans.
I know that the price of aluminium has increased but this is ridiculous!

I mean i cannot even enjoy my drink in peace.
I practically had to wrestle and do a WWF styled slam on this one chap who attempted to grab my coke can from my hands the minute i got it out of the vending machine!

Come on guys , something needs to be done about them.
I mean can't a decent guy even enjoy a drink in peace nowadays?

And now you want to give them an extra dollar?
They will just grow stronger.
What if they get unionised??!!

Keep the dollar i say.

Educate them.
Teach them.
Maybe Begging would be good.
Ooops sorry, i meant busking.

How bout increasing the quota on tissue sellers????
Now they are a decent bunch.
At least they do not grab your cans.

Yup that is definitely a good idea.

Really, i am not to blame if i have to wrestle another chap to the ground.
I love my sugary, fizzy drinks.

Keep the extra dollar , really , you might need it someday when you are old and your children abandon you in the name of "more good years".

oh and by the way you mentioned at the end of the statement , to call you directly?
eeeerrrmmmm.......

anyone know how??

Bloddy mangkuks!!....not you sir, i meant the karang guni men/women.

May they never get unionised.