S'pore PM plugs value of expats

S'pore PM plugs value of expats

SINGAPORE (AP): Capping a national debate on the need of foreign talent amid the recession, Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said on Sunday foreign workers were here because the city-state needed them.

"It may appear that foreign talent takes away jobs from Singaporeans. But the truth is the opposite. The presence of foreign talent helps to create more jobs for Singaporeans," Goh said.

And he added: "We bring in foreign talent because we need them to help grow the economy, create jobs through their investments and expertise and strengthen our international competitiveness."

Speaking at a local event, Goh recalled moments in a Parliament debate this month on whether Singapore should continue to lure top foreign talent while its own citizens are losing jobs in a recession.