Monday, May 30, 2011
Segar Meadows flat owners get keys to homes
Segar Meadows flat owners get keys to homes
By Sharon See | Posted: 28 May 2011 2016 hrs
SINGAPORE: Owners of flats at Segar Meadows' newly-completed block received the keys to their new homes on Saturday.
Segar Meadows is a newly-completed Build-To-Order (BTO) project in the Bukit Panjang area.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who is also an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, and his fellow MP Liang Eng Hwa were guests-of-honour at the completion ceremony.
They handed over the keys to flat owners at Block 456, the last block of completion.
Several government agencies and the Holland Bukit-Timah Town Council set up exhibition booths during the event to create awareness on matters relevant to residents moving into their new homes.
Dr Balakrishnan said the completion ceremony is also a good opportunity for residents to get to know their new neighbours.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
By Sharon See | Posted: 28 May 2011 2016 hrs
SINGAPORE: Owners of flats at Segar Meadows' newly-completed block received the keys to their new homes on Saturday.
Segar Meadows is a newly-completed Build-To-Order (BTO) project in the Bukit Panjang area.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who is also an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, and his fellow MP Liang Eng Hwa were guests-of-honour at the completion ceremony.
They handed over the keys to flat owners at Block 456, the last block of completion.
Several government agencies and the Holland Bukit-Timah Town Council set up exhibition booths during the event to create awareness on matters relevant to residents moving into their new homes.
Dr Balakrishnan said the completion ceremony is also a good opportunity for residents to get to know their new neighbours.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
S'pore manufacturing faces talent crunch
S'pore manufacturing faces talent crunch
By Lois Calderon | Posted: 30 May 2011 2216 hrs
SINGAPORE: Workers in the manufacturing sector in Singapore have taken on a different profile and are no longer seen as the typical blue-collar workers.
As the economy moves up the value chain, manufacturing workers have also evolved into one who's highly paid, tech-savvy, and with a university degree.
However, analysts said the problem is that there may not be enough talent pool in the market to meet the growing needs of the sector.
Singapore's factory workers have a new face now.
They don't make toys and garments anymore.
Instead, they're experts in the fields of pharmaceutical, medical engineering, fiber optics and offshore marine.
That is the case as big global names make Singapore their regional headquarters, while sweatshops have been moved to China, Brazil and increasingly Vietnam and Indonesia.
But finding this new breed of skilled workers for the sector is becoming a challenge for employers.
Singapore International Chamber of Commerce chief executive Phillip Overmyer said: "I need a whole different set of people from what I have today.
"I still need the manufacturing people but now, I need people who can design products for Asia as opposed to designing products for America, for example.
"I need people who can do logistics distribution, people who can market to the Asian market as opposed to marketing back in the US.
"The trouble that manufacturers have along with other industries in Singapore is generally not being able to find enough people.
"It's not so much that there aren't jobs; it's that there are not enough people who are interested in those jobs".
Businesses are willing to pay a premium for workers who have the skills needed for high-value manufacturing jobs.
But increased competition with industries, such as the financial sector that could afford more attractive salary packages, is putting extra pressure on wages.
Some analysts said Singapore may have to attract these talents from abroad or risk losing its manufacturing sector entirely.
Economists also said the rising labour costs in the sector could lead to fewer jobs being created.
It would also mean that hiring will focus only on highly-skilled workers in highly capital-intensive industries.
UOB Group economist Alvin Liew said: "In terms of manufacturing direction of growth, I think that this is an inevitable stage of development whereby we used to be a low-cost production centre.
"But as costs have gone up and we've moved up the value chain in terms of our technology expertise, we should be moving into higher valued production, but at that costs (it) would be that employment opportunities would be very much diminished in manufacturing".
Jobs statistics available at the Ministry of Manpower showed that factory workers accounted for less than a tenth of the more than one million new jobs created between 1997 and 2010.
-CNA/wk
- wong chee tat :)
By Lois Calderon | Posted: 30 May 2011 2216 hrs
SINGAPORE: Workers in the manufacturing sector in Singapore have taken on a different profile and are no longer seen as the typical blue-collar workers.
As the economy moves up the value chain, manufacturing workers have also evolved into one who's highly paid, tech-savvy, and with a university degree.
However, analysts said the problem is that there may not be enough talent pool in the market to meet the growing needs of the sector.
Singapore's factory workers have a new face now.
They don't make toys and garments anymore.
Instead, they're experts in the fields of pharmaceutical, medical engineering, fiber optics and offshore marine.
That is the case as big global names make Singapore their regional headquarters, while sweatshops have been moved to China, Brazil and increasingly Vietnam and Indonesia.
But finding this new breed of skilled workers for the sector is becoming a challenge for employers.
Singapore International Chamber of Commerce chief executive Phillip Overmyer said: "I need a whole different set of people from what I have today.
"I still need the manufacturing people but now, I need people who can design products for Asia as opposed to designing products for America, for example.
"I need people who can do logistics distribution, people who can market to the Asian market as opposed to marketing back in the US.
"The trouble that manufacturers have along with other industries in Singapore is generally not being able to find enough people.
"It's not so much that there aren't jobs; it's that there are not enough people who are interested in those jobs".
Businesses are willing to pay a premium for workers who have the skills needed for high-value manufacturing jobs.
But increased competition with industries, such as the financial sector that could afford more attractive salary packages, is putting extra pressure on wages.
Some analysts said Singapore may have to attract these talents from abroad or risk losing its manufacturing sector entirely.
Economists also said the rising labour costs in the sector could lead to fewer jobs being created.
It would also mean that hiring will focus only on highly-skilled workers in highly capital-intensive industries.
UOB Group economist Alvin Liew said: "In terms of manufacturing direction of growth, I think that this is an inevitable stage of development whereby we used to be a low-cost production centre.
"But as costs have gone up and we've moved up the value chain in terms of our technology expertise, we should be moving into higher valued production, but at that costs (it) would be that employment opportunities would be very much diminished in manufacturing".
Jobs statistics available at the Ministry of Manpower showed that factory workers accounted for less than a tenth of the more than one million new jobs created between 1997 and 2010.
-CNA/wk
- wong chee tat :)
Largest-ever BTO launch
Largest-ever BTO launch
By Mustafa Shafawi | Posted: 27 May 2011 1717 hrs
SINGAPORE: The HDB is offering homebuyers close to 4,000 new flats in six Build-to-Order (BTO) projects launched on Friday - the largest supply of BTO flats in a single launch.
It surpasses the 3,185 BTO flats offered last month.
The BTO projects launched on Friday are at Costa Ris and Golden Lily in Pasir Ris, Punggol Parcvista, Tampines GreenLeaf, Tampines GreenWood, and Woodlands Peak.
At least 95 per cent of the public flat supply will be set aside for first-time buyers.
HDB said Friday's launch offers flats in various locations and sizes to meet the different needs of home-seekers - low-income families, those aspiring for something better, and the elderly.
Prices range from S$76,000 for a studio apartment and from S$335,000 for a 5-room unit.
First-time buyers can take advantage of various housing grants to reduce the cost of owning a new BTO flat.
For instance, households earning up to S$5,000 per month can apply for the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) worth up to S$40,000, which can be used to offset the initial downpayment.
Over and above the AHG, first-timer families earning between S$1,501 and S$2,250 monthly can also apply for the Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG) if they choose to buy a 3-room standard flat in Punggol Parcvista and Woodlands Peak.
With Friday's launch, HDB has released about 12,000 BTO flats in the first five months of 2011. This is more than half of HDB's earlier target of launching 22,000 flats for 2011.
In view of strong demand, HDB is ramping up its flat supply by a further 3,000 flats for this year.
This increases the full-year's BTO supply for 2011 by about 15 per cent, to 25,000 units. This is more than the number of units in Clementi town today.
HDB had announced earlier that 22,000 new BTO flats will be launched this year. All of these will now be launched by September 2011 instead of by the end of the year.
The BTO supply will be supplemented by housing units offered under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) and the Executive Condominium (EC) Housing Scheme.
For 2011, land sites for 4,000 DBSS flats and 4,000 EC units are scheduled for sale.
Commenting on the BTO launch, PropNex corporate communications manager Mr Adam Tan said: "The government has certainly responded to the public's demand for affordable housing, especially for first-time buyers. This is especially so, given that at least 95% of the units, or 3,759 flats, will be set aside for these first-timers."
He noted that Cash Over Valuation or COV prices are bottoming out at around $21,000 "and many first-time buyers will still be priced out of the resale market". Therefore, there will be relief among this group from the bumper crop of BTO flats.
Mr Tan also said the government is heeding the demand from first-time buyers who are asking for more BTO flats in a greater variety of areas. He noted that the six BTO projects are spread out over four estates, namely Punggol, Pasir Ris, Tampines and Woodlands, giving first-time buyers plenty of choices in relatively popular neighbourhoods.
Mr Tan said the projects should see a huge take-up rate from potential buyers as they are in estates which are rather well-developed.
They are also going at prices around 14% to 35% cheaper than similar resale flats in their areas, based on the transactions conducted in the first three months of this year.
"The 3-room flats in Tampines GreenLeaf and Tampines GreenWood, for example, are a whopping 35% cheaper than resale flats in that town," revealed Mr Tan, "and should therefore be very popular with the first-time buyers with a tight budget. For the reason of cost-effective pricing, the flats in Punggol Parcvista and Woodlands Peak should also see high subscription rates, having prices between 25% and 30% cheaper than similar flats in the vicinity."
Propnex also described as bold the move by HDB to offer 15 per cent more BTO flats this year than planned.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
By Mustafa Shafawi | Posted: 27 May 2011 1717 hrs
SINGAPORE: The HDB is offering homebuyers close to 4,000 new flats in six Build-to-Order (BTO) projects launched on Friday - the largest supply of BTO flats in a single launch.
It surpasses the 3,185 BTO flats offered last month.
The BTO projects launched on Friday are at Costa Ris and Golden Lily in Pasir Ris, Punggol Parcvista, Tampines GreenLeaf, Tampines GreenWood, and Woodlands Peak.
At least 95 per cent of the public flat supply will be set aside for first-time buyers.
HDB said Friday's launch offers flats in various locations and sizes to meet the different needs of home-seekers - low-income families, those aspiring for something better, and the elderly.
Prices range from S$76,000 for a studio apartment and from S$335,000 for a 5-room unit.
First-time buyers can take advantage of various housing grants to reduce the cost of owning a new BTO flat.
For instance, households earning up to S$5,000 per month can apply for the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) worth up to S$40,000, which can be used to offset the initial downpayment.
Over and above the AHG, first-timer families earning between S$1,501 and S$2,250 monthly can also apply for the Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG) if they choose to buy a 3-room standard flat in Punggol Parcvista and Woodlands Peak.
With Friday's launch, HDB has released about 12,000 BTO flats in the first five months of 2011. This is more than half of HDB's earlier target of launching 22,000 flats for 2011.
In view of strong demand, HDB is ramping up its flat supply by a further 3,000 flats for this year.
This increases the full-year's BTO supply for 2011 by about 15 per cent, to 25,000 units. This is more than the number of units in Clementi town today.
HDB had announced earlier that 22,000 new BTO flats will be launched this year. All of these will now be launched by September 2011 instead of by the end of the year.
The BTO supply will be supplemented by housing units offered under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) and the Executive Condominium (EC) Housing Scheme.
For 2011, land sites for 4,000 DBSS flats and 4,000 EC units are scheduled for sale.
Commenting on the BTO launch, PropNex corporate communications manager Mr Adam Tan said: "The government has certainly responded to the public's demand for affordable housing, especially for first-time buyers. This is especially so, given that at least 95% of the units, or 3,759 flats, will be set aside for these first-timers."
He noted that Cash Over Valuation or COV prices are bottoming out at around $21,000 "and many first-time buyers will still be priced out of the resale market". Therefore, there will be relief among this group from the bumper crop of BTO flats.
Mr Tan also said the government is heeding the demand from first-time buyers who are asking for more BTO flats in a greater variety of areas. He noted that the six BTO projects are spread out over four estates, namely Punggol, Pasir Ris, Tampines and Woodlands, giving first-time buyers plenty of choices in relatively popular neighbourhoods.
Mr Tan said the projects should see a huge take-up rate from potential buyers as they are in estates which are rather well-developed.
They are also going at prices around 14% to 35% cheaper than similar resale flats in their areas, based on the transactions conducted in the first three months of this year.
"The 3-room flats in Tampines GreenLeaf and Tampines GreenWood, for example, are a whopping 35% cheaper than resale flats in that town," revealed Mr Tan, "and should therefore be very popular with the first-time buyers with a tight budget. For the reason of cost-effective pricing, the flats in Punggol Parcvista and Woodlands Peak should also see high subscription rates, having prices between 25% and 30% cheaper than similar flats in the vicinity."
Propnex also described as bold the move by HDB to offer 15 per cent more BTO flats this year than planned.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
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