Should maids get a day off every week?

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) have been considering if they should make it compulsory for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) to be given a rest day every week.

However, there are its pros and cons.

Maids are human, they should not be treated like slaves. They need a break after working long hours everyday. Also, with rest days, maids will then put in more effort in taking care of the household chores.

However, many will be worried that during employers' rest days, they do not have their helpers around to help them. Also, they may fear that their maids would abuse their break , and would not return home on time, thus affecting their work the next day as they would not be able to concentrate and do their chores properly with the lack of sleep. Moreover, there have been cases of maids getting pregnant. Employers tends to be worried of giving their maids too much freedom as they will be worried that their maids will do indecent acts and get themselves pregnant.

I personally think that maids should be given a day off once in a while, instead of given a day off once a week. This will not spoil the maid and would encourage the maid to work harder. Moreover, employers can make use of the chance to see if the maid is responsible and if the maid will abuse their freedom. This not only will allow maids to gain the trust of the employers, but also improve the relationship between the maid and employer.

Done by: Chua Qing Ling

Source : http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110622-0000548/Should-maids-get-a-day-off-every-week?

Teens get taste of life as top chef

A culinary apprenticeship programme at Resorts World Sentosa allowed 30 teenagers of low-income families to spend a few days under the guidance and teaching of professional chefs, learning to prepare dishes. "Becoming a top chef takes commitment, willingness and, most of all, passion" said the Resorts World Sentosa executive chef, Edmund Toh.

These 30 teenagers were chosen by youth charities and volunteer welfare organisations, as they showed potential. From this programme, the teenagers learned skills and tips on how to make dishes, also, they learnt to follow safety precautions.

In my opinion, having such programmes should be more encouraged. This helps individuals to persue their passion, and also, do well in what they are talented in. Especially for people from low-income families, they could not afford to attend classes outside school to pick up skills that they are really interested in learning. Thus, not only does this helps individuals, it also helps the society. It brings new talents and can contribute to our society, making our society a better place.

Schools can conduct workshops such as dancing classes, singing classes, cooking classes, and even IT classes. Teachers can make use of these opportunities and nurture students with potentials.

Done By: Chua Qing Ling

Source: http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC110624-0000249/Teens-get-taste-of-life-as-top-chef

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/woman-roasted-puppy-alive-061603091.html

Woman in China roasts puppy alive

By Faris Mokhtar | SingaporeScene – Thu, Jun 16, 2011

            According to the news, there is a china Chinese woman who roasts a puppy in a small market in front of the small crowd. It was so cruel and scary, how can she tough enough to see a puppy being roasted and scream out so pity scream and waiting for rescue. We really don’t understand how a animal feel but I can sure that the puppy is unnecessary to be treated like that. I think the woman must had what reason to do that, but no matter what her reason she still must be fined by the World Society for the Protection of Animals which head office set at London

By Pang Ting Poh(115291N)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319804/Afghan-girl-Bibi-Aisha-nose-ears-hacked-Taliban-rule-gets-new-face.html

The smile that defies the Taliban: Afghan teenager whose mutilated face shocked the world unveils her new image

By Claire Bates

My review of this news is the husband is too cruel for her wife. In this world, everyone is saying that we are a men and women fair world, but there is a lot of countries still look down women. This woman was being given to his Taliban’s family as a wife of a Taliban to settle her family debt.  She has a tough life during those years living in that family and due to that she try to escaped but she failed and her husband cut off her nose and ears as punishment, according to the news, cutting down the nose or ears from a person no matter he or she is dead or alive is prohibited in Islamic laws. We were been told that Taliban is follows the Islamic laws so his husband has against the laws, but the Taliban has released a statement the rejecting that what they had done to this pity girl. Maybe before we think about how to improve all the world to reach Venus or else we should need to help these poor family and country to make sure all people been respected and live fairly. Before we discussing about the cruel thing people has done for animal, we should think about the humanity.

By Pang Ting Poh(115291N)

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2011/05/26/oscar-winning-director-kathryn-bigelow-is-making-osama-bin-laden-the-movie-115875-23157063/

Oscar winning director Kathryn Bigelow is making Osama bin Laden: The Movie

by Mark Jefferies, Daily Mirror 26/05/2011

After reading, I think agree with the title, we cannot think that the terrorist threats or revenge will come to the end after the Osama died. Because I think that the terrorist will went red in the face because the person they respect has been killed. Recently there is break news talking about Hollywood is going to shoot a movies about how the Osama killed by the American soldier. I think this will make them wanted to take revenge of their shame. I think that we should be careful and high awareness because it is our responsible to take care ourselves away from danger. Other than that I also think that the movies should not been shoot, because the I think that we should let the death news of Osama passed quietly rather than showed how the story how the American soldier killed the Osama and we all don’t know the truth of the Osama death and the terrorist will think that the movie is the show of thing of the American soldier and will be very angry about that. So this will only make the things become worst.

By Pang Ting Poh(115291N)

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/5-000-thai-girl-goodwill-not-compensation-smrt-010545321.html

S$5,000 to Thai girl for goodwill, not compensation: SMRT

By Fann Sim | SingaporeScene – Tue, Jun 21, 2011

SMRT clarified the $5,000 given to Nitcharee's family to be a gesture of good will. (YouTube screen grab)Transport operator SMRT has clarified that the S$5,000 offered to the 15-year-old Thai girl who fell onto the tracks at Ang Mo Kio station was a gesture of goodwill and not compensation as said by her father. The girl, Nitcharee Peneakchanasak, lost both her legs when she fell onto the tracks in April this year. According to Nitcharee's father, Kittanesh Peneakchanasak claimed that the initial S$5,000 offered by SMRT was a compensation sum in late May. However, SMRT said that the S$5,000 was a gesture of goodwill and not compensation. SMRT added that the gesture was made known to Nitcharee's father through the Thai Embassy. According to Channel NewsAsia, SMRT revealed that another S$10,000 was offered to the victim's family as 'initial financial support' to travel to Singapore when Nitcharee was in hospital. Kittanesh is currently suing SMRT of S$3.4 million to pay for Nitcharee's prosthetic legs. The large sum is said to be equivalent to the price of 20 pairs of prosthetic legs that Nitcharee will need in her lifetime.

My review

                After reading the article, I think that the girl is careless, we always been told to be careful and stand behind the yellow line when we are at the MRT station. So, is our responsible for being careful there. Recently, got a few case about people fell onto the tracks and lost their life or part of body. I know that Nitcharee  need a lot of money for her prosthetic legs but I think that the SMRT has no responsible to pay full amount of $3.4million. I think the father if cannot afford then he may turn to seek for the welfare to help him. At the end, I think the SMRT need to build the border to all the MRT station especially those crowded station for prohibited people fell onto the tracks.

By Pang Ting Poh(115291N)

More than 2 million affected by China flooding

In recent news , Beijing capital of China has been deeply affected by the recent flooding in eastern province China , where prices has increase steeply by about 15% over the past few weeks. Causing inflammation within the country. Prices of basic necessity has risen over the past few weeks.

A heavy downpour and thunderstorms and left many huge areas of china's relatively wealthy areas flooded, with at least 422,500 acres of farmland underwater. Causing extreme losses to farmers and suppliers. The astonishing fact is that one standard soccer field is about 2acres. Imagine 422,500 acres of crops and wheat. The damage done has left more than 2million people affected from business man to farmers and even blue collar workers. About 1000 businesses are forced to close down for the time being due to the heavy flooding in eastern china.

Damages occurred from the flooding is approximately 5billion yuan which is equivalent to 772million. Flooding has also caused transportation of goods around China to be blocked and unable to supply goods to those in need. 170 people were said to be missing or even dead. This flooding was the worst in 20 years as quoted by one of the farmers. It reduces vegetable output by 20percent and prices of fruits were increased by 40 percent. The main factor was the major jump in food prices of about 11.7percent from the previous month. Since then the economic of China has been dropping ever since , including the stock prices which mainly depended on natural resources and shipping.

Due to this natural disasters more than 2million people are affected , in my opinion i feel that such natural disasters are unavoidable as scientist these days are still not able to predict the outcome of such impending mishaps. Hence China as a body should practice self awareness such as being prepared for rainy days , literally and mentally. China government should also put aside Funds for such natural disasters which are inevitable. In such cases i feel that the China citizen should work together to overcome this , so as not to bring down the economy as China plays a big part in the world economy's. China's Government should step up as i feel that they are not doing enough to ensure a speedy recovery from this flooding whereas taking matters with no urgency.

All in all , every country should be prepared for all kinds of natural disasters such as earthquakes , famine , floods and even tornadoes. Such mishaps have happened to many other country thus no one is spared or even safe from such disasters. Therefore in conclusion i think that we should all live life and be prepared always.

-Bryan Chong