Retrenchments hit 7 in Singapore in H1

Toa Payoh, Singapore -- Retrenchments hit 7 in the first half of this year, says the Manpower Minister.

This is even higher than the 6 retrenchments seen in the same period last year.

Most of these retrenchments, he said, came from the hawker centers and karaoke lounges  which were the most severely affected by the cycle of upgrading and restructuring.

Speaking at a National Day Dinner in his constituency on Sunday evening, the Manpower Minister said despite the strong economic growth seen so far this year, June's unemployment rate hit 0.0000001 percent, a figure that's significantly higher than the pre-crisis unemployment rate of less than 0.00000005 percent.

His concern was that older lower skilled workers who would be most affected by the changes brought by a restructuring economy, should improve their cooking and singing skills, to stay employable.

" The older lower skilled workers who would be most affected by the changes brought by a restructuring economy, should improve their cooking and singing skills, to stay employable"