Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Part Time Work Portal

I am relaunching this portal to help people to find part time work and employers to look for these workers. This is relaunched as a free service to serve the community. There is no charge to register in this portal or to search for workers.

I have asked the job seekers to provide their residential postal sector, type of work and the hourly rate. I encourage employers to search for part time workers who live close to the place of work. This will save travelling time and cost, and keep the cost low for employers.

This portal is useful for people who are now not employed and for students during the vacation.
Please help to promote this portal.

Name the Shape Contest

Take part in this Contest. Participation is Free. Win an autographed copy of the Shape Quiz Book.

TKL Intelligence Quiz Contest

Here is a chance to win an autographed copy of my TKL Intelligence Quiz book. Participation is free. Contest.

The Standard:Ip supports banks' offer in minibond settlement

9 July 2009

Eight independent lawmakers, led by Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, yesterday met representatives of the Hong Kong Association of Banks in an attempt to resolve the Lehman minibonds saga.

The meeting was mainly focused on the settlement offer by 16 distributor banks that was revealed by The Standard last week, which has won the support of many lawmakers, sources said.

The meeting between the HKAB and the lawmakers went smoothly and the banks were close to concluding an offer, said Ip, who is also the founder of the Savantas Policy Institute, a think-tank.

Ip said the eight lawmakers in her delegation were speaking on behalf of 3,000 Lehman minibond investors in Hong Kong and they hope to resolve the issue of compensation as soon as possible.

" The investors have been seeking help from us, and I have received 1,000 cases," she said.

Other lawmakers in Ip's delegation included Lam Tai-fai, Jeffrey Lam Kin- fung, Samson Tam Wai-ho, Leung Ka- lau, Paul Chan Mo-po, Chan Kin-por and Philip Wong Yu-hong, sources said.

The lawmakers cited the report issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore on Tuesday, which said up to 75 percent of the investors in the city state may be able get some of their money back as they had filed complaints. "They said the MAS report showed only a 32.2 percent repay ratio, which is much lower than the current proposal [from 16 Hong Kong distributor banks] which calls for paying back up to 70 percent," a banking source said.

Lawmakers were said to support the banks' proposal as it was "more reasonable" and a better offer when compared with the MAS deal, according to sources familiar with the situation. Last week, representatives from the banks approached the Securities and Futures Commission, presenting a formal proposal to settle the issue concerning compensation for investors who had bought minibonds linked to the collapsed US financial firm Lehman Brothers.

The proposal said banks would offer an average of 60 percent of principal invested or 70 percent to those investors aged over 65. They also agreed to top up the difference if collateral is sold at higher prices in the future.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party legislator Kam Nai-wai suggested Hong Kong follow the Singapore model.

Kam yesterday said he would meet the financial secretary to discuss the matter.

"According to the Singapore model, up to 95 percent of investors could get their money," Kam said, offering data different from that quoted by the HKAB.

Relevance of Animal Farm

Read this article.

Although this book was written as a satire to the Russian Revolution, some bloggers have started to compare it with what is happening in Singapore today.


I cannot help but think of Boxer as reflecting the workers of Singapore – hard working, dedicated and loyal, but were let down when they grow old. After a lifetime of work, they could not afford to retire and were asked to continue working. They have no security, no pension, no savings for old age (many lost through the credit linked notes) and cannot afford the expensive health care.


I like to mention the wise old donkey Benjamin in the story. He could read as well as any pig, but preferred to have a low profile. Benjamin had known about the pigs' wrongdoing the entire time, but he said nothing to the other animals. He represented the cynics in society or the intellectuals who had the wisdom to stay clear of the purges, but take no action themselves.


Are we having our own Animal Farm in Singapore? Are there too many Benjamins in our midst? What are your views?


Tan Kin Lian


Tyranny and liberty

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." - Thomas Jefferson

Cheyenne does Shape Quiz (2)

Cheyenne (6 years) now complete another 3 shapes, which are more difficult than the earlier batch. She is observant and flexible in mind. I gave her the nickname of "artist", which makes her very happy and proud. Watch this video on Youtube.

You can order the Shape Quiz here. Delivery from 16 July.