Category Archives: COS 2024: Jamus Lim

Vouchers for Preschool Education

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): There is a vast literature on the importance of early childhood education. The economic case for doing so is compelling. The reason is straightforward, as Nobel Prize-winning economist Jim Heckman explained. Early childhood development entails building the necessary foundation for all subsequent human capital development. Without solid roots deeply planted, one’sContinue reading “Vouchers for Preschool Education”

Controlling Costs of Coffee Shop Meals

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: During last year’s Committee of Supply, I shared data that volunteers and I had collected, showing that the difference between coffee shop food in Sengkang versus mature estates amounts to around 50 cents, which is significant for many families. I had suggested then, that the bidding for coffee shop spaces couldContinue reading “Controlling Costs of Coffee Shop Meals”

Making VERS More or Less Voluntary

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): To date, the Government has approached the issue of urban renewal of public housing in two ways. The Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), identifies projects for urban renewal. Since August 1995, HDB has identified a total of 78 SERS projects with an additional four in the pipeline. But economicContinue reading “Making VERS More or Less Voluntary”

Healthcare Capacity in Ageing Society

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): In my speech on the Motion on supporting healthcare in May last year, I spoke about how hospital bed and medical personnel capacity in our fair nation falls short of what may be expected, not just compared to almost every other advanced economy, but also to our own internal benchmarks. ThisContinue reading “Healthcare Capacity in Ageing Society”

Pernicious Non-competes and Junior Workers

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: Non-compete clauses are included in many modern labour contracts and impose restrictions on a worker joining or otherwise doing business with a rival firm even after employment with the firm in question is over, usually for a specified period of time. Many companies sign non-competes in the name of protecting proprietaryContinue reading “Pernicious Non-competes and Junior Workers”

Leave for Singles and Family Care

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Currently, under the Child Development and Co-Savings Act, working parents are eligible for up to six days of paid childcare leave a year. While I suspect that many parents find this insufficient, especially if they have multiple children – each with unique contingencies that could keep them out of school, IContinue reading “Leave for Singles and Family Care”

Debate on the Annual Budget Statement

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: In his Budget Statement, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about artificial intelligence, or AI, as a general purpose technology, like electricity in internal combustion engine, the computer or the Internet. As such technology, AI, indeed has the potential to touch every aspect of our lives. Like Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong,Continue reading “Debate on the Annual Budget Statement”