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.