Budget 2015 - Reduce unhealthy dependence on maids

Sunday, 8 March 2015

THE SUNDAY TIMES
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Reduce unhealthy dependence on maids

Published on Mar 7, 2015 12:50 AM

THE reduced concessionary maid levy announced in the recent Budget ("Maid levy cut to $60 for eligible families"; Feb 24), while alleviating the financial burden in having a maid in the short term, does nothing to address the unsustainable and unhealthy dependence Singaporeans have on maids.

Singaporeans must realise that having a live-in maid is an entitlement and quite a unique Singaporean social phenomenon.

With the exception of several other affluent Asian cities, nowhere else in the developed First World does society rely on live-in maids like we do in Singapore.

In fact, a live-in maid is found in only the richest of households or in aristocrat homes in most developed societies. Yet, nobody suggests that families in these countries, such as the United States, Britain, France, Germany or Japan, do not face the same familial issues that Singaporean families do.

One might even argue that families in these societies face more challenging situations; birth rates in these five countries are higher than in Singapore, and Britain and Japan face more serious ageing population care issues than Singapore does. In all five countries, both husband and wife are also expected to work.

These countries have all developed alternative social practices to manage familial responsibilities, yet their citizens are still able to enjoy a high degree of lifestyle satisfaction.

The Singapore Government may wish to explore some of these best practices, which include encouraging students to take on babysitting assignments, having retired grandparents look after their grandchildren while their parents are at work, professional helpers coming by once a week to do the chores and clean the house, and establishing more after-school care centres and elder day-care centres.

Our dependence on live-in maids has become an unhealthy social norm and the Government should be reconsidering policies that make it easier for Singaporeans to have live-in maids.

Trent Ng Yong En