Each new year involves renewal, and the emphasis on this is even sharper in the Year of the Rooster, “whose crowing signals a fresh dawn”, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his Chinese New Year message.

Mr Lee said the Government is doing all it can to help young couples to start a family and have children. “We have substantially expanded preschool, childcare and infant care places. We are providing more affordable and good kindergartens. We are shortening waiting times for HDB flats, so couples can set up home and start families sooner.”

Mr Lee also pointed out that Singapore’s economy is one important area of renewal for the coming year.

He pointed out that the Committee for the Future Economy (CFE), led by Ministers Heng Swee Keat and S Iswaran, will deliver its report soon which will spell out strategies for growth in the next 10 to 15 years.

“It will identify new and promising industries and sectors, and plans to ensure that our children and grandchildren will enjoy many opportunities when they enter the workforce. The Budget will follow up with concrete measures to implement the CFE proposals. The Budget will also respond to our more immediate economic needs,” he added.

PM Lee acknowledged that economic restructuring is hard work for both businesses and workers. Nonetheless, he said Singapore has to persevere with upgrading, “because it is the only way to improve the lives of Singaporeans.”

Ending the new year message on an optimistic note, PM Lee said, “I am confident we can succeed. We have done it before, and we have the wherewithal to do it again. Here in Singapore, we tackle our challenges together. Government, businesses and workers all play their part, coming together to plan ahead, support one another and seize new opportunities. This is how our children and their children can dream bigger dreams than us, and live better lives than ours.”

Photo credit: PM Lee Hsien Loong’s Facebook