Leadership attributes and skills

SINGAPORE: The Civil Service will place greater weight on assessing officers' demonstrated skills and competencies, following a review of its human resource (HR) systems and policies last year, said Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (Oct 6). Mr Chan said this in a written answer to a parliamentary question by Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Ng of the People's Action Party (PAP). The MP for Nee Soon GRC had asked if the Government intends to abolish the use of Currently Estimated Potential (CEP) within the Civil Service. In his reply, Mr Chan said the CEP is adopted "as a proxy of an officer’s potential". "It is expressed in terms of the largest job responsibility level an officer is assessed to be capable of undertaking in his or her career in the Public Service. "Today, it is used as a long-term talent development and succession planning tool for key leadership positions and a career management tool for progressing and developing officers." … [Read more...] about Civil Service to place more weight on skills, competencies in assessing officers’ performance: Chan Chun Sing

SINGAPORE: There are currently more than 1,900 work opportunities in the early childhood sector, including jobs, traineeships and attachments, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in the latest edition of its jobs situation report on Monday (Nov 2). Of these, the majority are jobs, with 85 per cent of them for professional, manager, executive and technician (PMET) roles such as pre-school teachers, centre leaders and childcare services managers. Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said that as most of these opportunities are jobs, it is apparent that operators want to bring people in not just for traineeships and attachments, but because they are “confident that they have vacancies to fill”. “One of the things people may be concerned about is ‘if I don’t have the skill sets, will I be able to get this job?’. Now, in fact … the sector actually appreciates people who bring in transferable skills from outside this sector,” said Mrs Teo, noting … [Read more...] about More than 1,900 early childhood work opportunities available as part of SGUnited Jobs and Skills programmes

SINGAPORE: Calling COVID-19 not just a public health problem but also a political one, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that it takes political leadership to persuade people about keeping safety measures in place when case numbers are low. In a speech at the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) 36th Ordinary Party Conference, Mr Lee, who is the PAP’s secretary-general, said that although the situation is under control, the country has to get into a position where it can confidently open up further. “We can't simply relax the current restrictions, and hope that COVID-19 cases will remain low,” he said. Opening up further will increase the chances of getting more new cases, Mr Lee said, and so Singapore has to maintain its safe distancing measures. It also has to keep refining its safeguards - such as improving its contact tracing and testing regimes - to deal with the cases which pop up. This will minimise the danger of major outbreaks as the country opens up. Then … [Read more...] about PM Lee says it takes political leadership to convince people that COVID-19 measures are still needed

LAUSANNE: Politics has become the greatest source of uncertainty for businesses globally. There are several fresh examples. The UK government has been blamed for its indecisiveness in handling the COVID-19 crisis, which has impacted its GDP as the reopening of many businesses have consequently been delayed. The US is ripping itself into two incompatible factions that will not be reconciled by an election, which will inevitably hurt business and investor confidence. READ: Commentary: Trump's positive coronavirus test will worsen divides in America President Donald Trump seems determined to take down institutions like the World Trade Organization (WTO). He is also targeting foreign firms. Today it is Huawei and TikTok. Tomorrow, who knows? Politics is, meanwhile, creating great uncertainty around the commercial viability of Hong Kong as a business and financial centre. DE-GLOBALISATION HAS GAINED TRACTION Politicians, once devoted followers of globalisation and … [Read more...] about Commentary: Politics used to create the stability needed for business growth. That has now changed

Font size: A - | A + 0 This essay was chosen as one of the best essays in its category in the English Essay Competition organised by LEAF Academy , an international boarding high school in Bratislava. The competition was open to all Slovak students from primary or secondary schools who are passionate about writing in the English language. The Slovak Spectator has not edited the essays as participants were awarded partly on their English-language skills. Natália Martončíková A 15-year-old student from Evanjelické Gymnázium Jána Amosa Komenského in Košice, Natália Martončíková chose the topic "Does patriotism have a negative or positive influence on societies today?". She introduced her essay, awarded 3rd place in Category C , with the words of the African American Muslim minister and human rights activist Malcolm X, who said "You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism, that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no … [Read more...] about True patriots should fight for positive change in the country they cherish