Kazu

On Jan 26th We were at the star vista

Bigger baby bonus, paternity leave announced

Singapore's government unveiled on Monday a raft of incentives for citizens to get married and have babies. The enhanced marriage and parenthood package announced by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean raises the money couples receive for having children and introduces paternity leave. A bigger baby bonus cash gift of $6,000 will be given for the first two births and $8,000 for the next two births from $4,000 and $6,000, respectively. A CPF Medisave account of $3,000 will also be created for each Singaporean baby "to further support parents in planning for their children's healthcare need" and to encourage MediShield enrolment, the government said in a press release. MediShield will be extended to cover congenital and neonatal conditions effective from the start of March this year. To help couples balance work and family commitments, government will pay for one week of paternity leave for fathers of Singaporeans born from May this year. The dads will also be able to share one week of their wife's maternity leave entitlement. Parents with children aged 7-12 will get two days of government-paid child care leave annually. Also, to help couples start families earlier, the government announced measures for them to get housing faster. First-timer married couples will get priority allocation of new HDB flats and such couples with children will be allowed to rent a flat from HDB at affordable rental rates while waiting for their flats to be completed. Working mothers would also get assistance. Four weeks government-paid adoption leave would be granted to working mothers in the adopted child's first year. Government would also pay in the form of cash benefit the maternity leave of working women who do not currently qualify for any maternity leave, such as those under short-term contracts. The maternity protection period will also be extended to cover the full term of pregnancy for employees who have been retrenched or dismissed without sufficient cause. “Addressing our falling birth rate requires a concerted effort beyond government initiatives. We will continue to work with the community to strengthen positive attitudes towards family life. We hope that the enhanced Marriage & Parenthood measures will help create a more conducive environment for Singaporeans to set up families,” said Teo. The budget for the enhanced package will be raised to $2 billion a year from the $1.6 billion budget for the 2008 package. The slew of new measures comes as Singapore grapples with an ageing population, one of the lowest total fertility rates in the world at 1.2 in 2011 and a reliance on a large pool of foreign workers that has resulted in much grumbling from its home-grown citizen population. The announcement was also made less than a week before the country's largest single-member constituency, Punggol East, goes to the polls in a closely-watched by-election that is said to be a test for the ruling People's Action Party. Reactions The announced measures are seen as a comprehensive move to respond to the concerns of young working people in Singapore. Selina Lim, senior lecturer at SIM University's Teaching and Learning Centre, said it was heartening that the measures address even the concerns of a relatively smaller but growing group of working mothers. A researcher of politics, media and society, Lim also noted that the inclusion of paternity leave and various measures to defray medical costs will make a difference to the targeted sectors of society, although the housing-related measures may not be too effective. "Where housing issues are concerned, however, it would seem that even though first-timer married couples are assured of priority allocation of new HDB flats, it may be difficult to ascertain its likely impact on marriage and parenthood, especially if having children is not topmost on the couple's list of priorities, and if housing prices continue to climb," she said. Meanwhile, working fathers Yahoo! Singapore spoke to welcomed the new measures though one downplayed their potential impact. "I think it is a good step for paternity leave to be raised but I also feel more should be done. As a father-to-be, I want to play an important role in helping my wife raise my child," said Ivan Wong, 33, a communications specialist. He said perhaps the government could consider two to three weeks of paid paternity leave for the next enhancement. "I also hope employers will be more understanding and flexible for their staff who have kids to work from home," he said. Another working father also did not believe the new incentives would push many Singaporeans to have more kids. “Plainly based on the new benefits, I still don’t think there’s a huge enhancement,” said a 31-year-old manager who wanted to be known as Mr Foo. Noting that many of the incentives are “one-off”, Foo, a father of two, said his decision to have a third child would lie beyond any baby packages the government has to offer. “It’s a lifelong commitment,” he told Yahoo! Singapore. “I think if they really, really are serious about increasing birth rates, the fixes may need to focus more on the structural part of things — like childcare, schools, and alternative ways to look at excellence,” he added. The government has said it is studying other measures, including ways to provide incentives for employers to offer flexible work arrangements for their employees and those related to the pre-school sector. Measures to address infant and child care fee affordability will be announced on Wednesday, it said. For specific details of the enhanced marriage and parenthood package, read here.

Meri Hirose

ろう者女性、手話で国際貢献　ドミニカ共和国へ　東京 【平山亜理】日本や米国など数カ国の手話を操る聴覚障害のある女性が、青年海外協力隊員として、カリブ海のドミニカ共和国に１０日、派遣される。聴覚障害のある現地の子どもたちの自立を助ける。国際協力機構（ＪＩＣＡ）によると、ろう者を協力隊員として派遣するのは初めてという。 　派遣されるのは、板橋区…

lizard in Singapore

Happy New Year this foto was two weeks ago I told kazu to do walk quiet. it will be taken good photo of lizard in Singapore

I love this Tree in Malasyia

sunday church

A Sunday morning service — at Le Grandeur, Palm Resort Johor.

Bangladesh guy

I was standing to waiting for someone at singapore association for the deaf. Deaf Bangladesh guy came up to me, he said "are u deaf?" I said yes I am deaf from America. His eyes were wide. My mind said "just keep it cool" we chatted in British/gesture sign language for 50 mins. He wanted me to guide him in Singapore. I told him " sorry, u had a guide Singaporean" he noodled his head (understood) — with Nahid Ahmed.

mute?

Yesterday afternoon, I had spend time from 9am to 4pm. My son and I had a nice spend time together. I alway feeling that he should learn about an American-Singaporean culture. We went to hong kong cafe. We ordered the breakfast. I asked my son. Who was this famous photo? His fingers spelling said B r u c e L e e. the reason why is that he needs to know who bruce lee was. I also learned that one of his classmate was bullied my son as a NOT 100% Chinese as he was in Chinese classes. I told him to be cool and be smart. Bcs my son knows Chinese, English and America/Chinese sign language. In the sudden, the Chinese lady asked me " are you mute? (Chinese sign language) I told her "hmph, I was speaking in Chinese slang for busboy" and I yelled her a little " get back to work on yourself" a Chinese lady was shocking and noddles her head(ok ok) I told him that mute is wrong word for insult to deaf American. I agree that "knowledge will give u power, but Character respect" by bruce lee ;)

xmas party at my house in Singapore

we had a open the gifts at 2pm...

Kazu and his best friend

on Dec 12th 명동 쇼핑 하다 버거킹에서 만난 싱가폴+미국 부부와 싱가폴 농인~ Renato Souza 안댄다! 세상 참 좁다 ㅋ After shopping at the Myeong-Dong, Seoul I met Singapore+the US(FLA) couple and Singapore Deaf in burger king. He know Renato Souza! What a small world! — with Karen Tan-Wright and Kenichi Wright.

www.alpensiaresort.co.kr Last Sunday, We were in Alpensia Resort

I love this Korea temple called shinheungsa at the mount sorak In seoraksan national park. I got good photos by digital camera, and I hope my Diane F (lomography) camera' s film will come out with good photos on next week.

JLO was in Singapore

SINGAPORE - DECEMBER 04: Jennifer Lopez performs live on stage during her 'Dance Again World Tour' at The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay on December 4, 2012 in Singapore. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images) Getty Images Photo By Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Image

Last sunday!

Singapore signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) on Friday, 30 November. The UNCRPD sets out the obligations by States to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. The Enabling Masterplan (EM) 2012-2016, which was released this year, has paved the way for Singapore to sign the Convention. The EM sets out how we will progressively realise the vision of an inclusive society for persons with disabilities.

My Christmas party starts early this year. — at Sculptor Square.

Yesterday, We went to My Christmas party starts early this year at Sculptor Square.

SMRT chief: We could have done more to engage our drivers

SMRT chief Desmond Kuek (background) admits living conditions at the dorms could have been better. (SMRT photo … SMRT chief Desmond Kuek on Friday admitted management could have done more to engage and pro-actively manage its foreign bus driver staff. Referring to the mass strike by 171 drivers from China earlier this week as an "unfortunate incident", the 48-year-old former Chief of Army said, "It is unfortunate that this incident has happened. It shows that more needs to be done by Management to proactively manage and engage our Service Leaders (SLs)." In his first public appearance since returning from leave, he also visited workers’ dormitory at Serangoon on Friday and admitted conditions at the dormitories could "certainly be better". Feedback has been given to the dormitory operators to step up the living conditions of the bus drivers. Kuek, who took over the SMRT hotseat in October from Saw Phaik Hwa, also visited the Ang Mo Kio bus depot and said SMRT is managing the morale of its staff after four drivers from China were charged on Thursday for allegedly inciting the mass strike earlier this week. He also repeated SMRT took a serious view of the illegal actions by those who participated in the strikes, and said that they should have used the proper channels to raise their concerns and feedback. “There are open channels of communications with all our Service Leaders (SLs), such as regular townhall sessions and staff dialogues," he said. SMRT chief Desmond Kuek (background) admits living conditions at the dorms could have been better. (SMRT photo … However, new initiatives to improve feedback delivery have been set up. A new 24-hour telephone hotline and an email helpdesk have been set up so that feedback can be given directly and assistance rendered. The idea of nominating China bus driver representatives to facilitate effective communication in each of the dormitories will also be implemented. Meanwhile, opposition party Workers' Party also said it was disappointed the drivers' grievances were not addressed earlier. In a statement to the media on Friday, it said, "Strikes should be – and usually are – a measure of last resort by workers who have exhausted all other avenues to persuade management to address their concerns." It added the strike signals a "failure in the labour dispute settlement process within SMRT... While much of attention this week has focused on the grievances of the bus drivers from China, SMRT must address legitimate concerns that have been raised by all its drivers since the recent revision of salaries and work hours."

on Nov 13th Camwhoring time! HAHa!

on Nov 13th I would like to thank u for my first deepvail at uma s place Happy Deepavali — with Karen Tan-Wright.