Letter from Gilbert Goh Keow Wah, Straits Times Forum 31 Jan 08;
I JUST returned to Singapore after an overseas assignment and was shocked to see that the pace here has quickened a lot. It could be that I have yet to adjust back to the hectic pace here.
After meeting up with a few friends, the comments made during the hastily-arranged meeting were somewhat similar. They were all rushing here and there and they would like to slow down a bit to enjoy life.
Work has somehow taken up a large part of their life and some even take work home. Whatever little time they have for their families is also squeezed out of a very tight schedule. I wonder if some have time even for themselves.
Another thing that I find alarming when I returned home is the huge jump in prices of our food. My favourite coffee shop which sells chicken rice has increased his price from $2.50 to $2.80 since January this year.
When asked why he had raised his price, he replied that he would not be left out when every other hawker are raising their prices.
A cab drive from my home in Tampines to my mum's place in Pasir Ris normally costs me $3.50 but now I pay $4.30 and it is only a journey of less than 10 minutes.
What a difference a few months make. I dread to think what would happen if I were away longer than a year or more.
It is no wonder then that many Singaporeans I know have started to migrate to other countries where they can have more personal time to themselves and where they can live comfortably.
Hectic pace in Singapore just got worse
posted by Ria Tan at 1/31/2008 10:46:00 AM
labels singapore, singapore-general