Lawrence Wong to discuss workforce, taxes, housing prices at ST-BT Budget roundtable

FINANCE Minister Lawrence Wong will speak about Singapore’s aim to create a more inclusive society and dynamic economy amid global headwinds, at a roundtable organised by The Business Times and The Straits Times on Monday (Mar 6).

This includes effective training for workers, how to share tax burdens equitably, and the current hot topic of housing prices.

The ST-BT Budget Roundtable 2023, sponsored by UOB, takes place on the same day that Parliament wraps up the annual Committee of Supply debates.

The panel features Wong, who is also Deputy Prime Minister; UOB senior economist Alvin Liew; and vice-president of the National Trades Union Congress and president of Healthcare Services Employees’ Union K Thanaletchimi.

They will discuss the social and economic challenges that the city-state faces in a post-Covid era, and how to navigate them. ST associate editor Vikram Khanna will moderate the session.

One issue to be tackled is how Singapore can bridge the medium-term gap between government revenue and expenditure, with FY2023 expected to run a S$0.4 billion fiscal deficit.

GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY

Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign UpVIEW ALL

The panel will discuss several announcements in the Feb 14 Budget statement, such as the new Job-Skills Integrators initiative and how it can improve training scheme outcomes.

It will also look at equitable sharing of the tax burden, following Budget 2023’s higher taxes on tobacco, top-end housing and cars; as well as rising housing prices and mortgage rates, which have been hotly debated in Parliament.

Other topics include further steps to take for social mobility; the benefits and disadvantages of financial assistance for retrenched workers; the future of tripartism; and how companies can achieve productivity-driven growth.

Watch the panel discussion at bt.sg/budget23 and read the coverage in The Business Times and The Straits Times later this week.