Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Slow Mail Costs More

SingPost announced yesterday that ten million stamps will be given out to 1.4 million households here ahead of a planned increase in postage rates. Each household will receive a free stamp booklet worth - wait for it - all of S$1.80. Even if it's food stamps - which they aren't - that's not enough for a single meal.

And what will Singpost cream off for their largess? From the month of October onwards postage rates will be increased between 4c and 30c per mail item. International rates will be hiked higher with 5c to 25c increases while local mail will be between 4c to 20c more expensive than current rates. International Registered items will see a 30c increase in charges. They are giving you a drumstick while taking away the whole chicken.

The pathetic excuse is well used, this is the first time that SingPost has raised its rates in 8 years. Every government associated enterprise employs the same tagline: this is the first time that XXX has raised its rates in YY years. There's no need to explain why productivity has not caught up advances in technology.

Only recently Teo Chee Hean said life is getting better in Singapore because families are buying big screen LED TVs. He omitted to add that tiny detail that a 55 inch screen is now available for as low as $1000, compared to the $3000 - $4000 price tags they commanded a few years ago. Xiaomi's price buster Redmi costs a fraction of what more expensive models are retailing for. It has the same size 4.7 inch screen as an iPhone 6.

If one needs to examine why cost of living, and cost of doing business, is always on an upward trajectory in Singapore, look no further than the government imposed charges and tariffs. Will the various government bodies ever implement a much needed cost reduction program? Maybe when hell freezes over.

7 comments:

  1. /// Will the various government bodies ever implement a much needed cost reduction program? Maybe when hell freezes over. ///

    Will the Singaporeans ever vote in a new government that will implement a much needed cost reduction program? Maybe when hell freezes over.

    Talk no use.
    Get to the root of the problem.
    Yes to National Audit.
    Say No to a National Conversation.

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  2. Yes, any idiot can also head these departments. Profit slides, just increase rates. As for Template, use the same one that has been proven to work well all these years.

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  3. Singpost is now the main culprit for all those junk mail that we receive even when you lock the anti-junk mail opening signifying you don't want any junk mail. I suppose they are earning commission for putting junk mail in everyone's mailbox but they are not sharing with us.

    Talking about saving trees and anti-litter campaigns, Singpost should be considered accessories to 'murder'? Espeically if we consider all those litter thrown around letter boxes, especially in PAP held constituencies.

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  4. What is needed is a leaner government. What we get is a kuey lapis government, layer upon layer of ineffective bureaucracy which simply make you pay more by fiat to cover their uselessness.

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    Replies
    1. Sinkies really need a clearly evil and corrupted regime to realize their folly.

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  5. What's wrong with collecting more more money? Come on, Money! We love you!!

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  6. Josephine Teo: “Without a matching policy, lower toll charges by one side may simply be offset by higher tolls ... by the other side. There is no assurance that toll charges foregone by one side will be translated into lower total charges which benefit motorists.”

    Why is it so hard to call a spade a spade. If you want to increase your revenue, say so lah!

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