Domestics in Singapore

I am doing more and more thinking about this. I went to the night safari last night ( Saturday) and the Botanic Gardens today ( Sunday) and you cannot help but notice the number of domestics who are living and working in Singapore. I am not exactly sure I would call it living though. Let me give you the scenario that I got from various domestics when they shared their picnics with me ( a little too spicy, but good nevertheless). They typically work 15 days in a row, can never go out after work because there is no "after" work and they get about two days off a month. On these days they rush to the Lucky Plaza or Botanic Gardens if they are Indonesian or Filipinos and Golden Mile Plaza if they are Thai. Here they have their picnics, right on the road or in the Botanic Gardens, talk, play cards, interact with their friends and then hurry back to their houses for 7 or 8 pm..their curfew.

They earn $350 dollars a month plus room and board and certain benefits but generally they pay their agency for the privilege of the agency finding them a job. Of the $350 they generally send most of it to their parents, children and so on. They are making such tremendous sacrifices that I find it almost difficult to believe. Like Jamaican domestic workers in Canada, they left their families behind and do what they have to do to make a living.

When they try to get a job or two on Sunday cleaning houses,if they get caught they get fined by the government or even thrown out of the country. Their most cherished possession is the type of pass they can get from the government to get to stay in this paradise.

Another thing that continues to baffle me is the difference between Malaysia, 45 minutes to the north or Indonesia 45 minutes to the east that are literally in poverty. You can see Singapore from their shores but although moments away they are literally light years from the wealth you find here, in terms of government practices, infrastructure and educational benefits. What is the key to Singapore's success? Strong leadership, good education, immigrant workers small geographic area...who knows, it is a tough one. One that I am going to do a lot of thinking about over the course of this year. Of course, if you speak to a Singaporean, they will tell you it is because of their own hard work, but surely it is not that easy. I am quite confident they work just as hard in the neighbouring countries.

By the way, I went to the Night Safari on Saturday and because they are celebrating Halloween all month, it was a disaster for me. Ghouls and Goblins jumping out of trees to scare you but I did not have to spend $40 for that. Daniel, if you are here on a week-end we will give this a pass.

The Botanic Gardens were more my style where I could leisurely speak with people, take time to smell the flowers and walk in peace without fearing someone jumping out at me in some crazy costume.

By the way, when I left the subway I went left instead of right and discovered a great swimming pool. It will cost me 60 cents a time but I cannot wait to go. Instead of taking about 10 strokes to reach the end of my pool in the condo, I can actually swim in an Olympic size pool..hurray!