Rachel Rosenthal
(Bloomberg Opinion) – When Singapore announced it would start quarantine-free travel to certain countries, including the US, UK, France and Canada, Singapore Airlines Ltd.’s website crashed and ticket prices skyrocketed. Expats are scrambling to book tickets home for Christmas, while locals stuck at home are jumping at the chance to finally get off the island. Domestic virus restrictions were extended this week after a surge in infections, adding to the urgency of the wealthy to flee.
The exodus left behind more than half a million domestic workers and migrant workers, many of whom have not seen their families for years. Thousands live in cramped dormitories — some in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, according to recent accounts.
In theory, this workforce is free to leave. Even though most people are vaccinated, Singapore still restricts arrivals from several countries including Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. For maids from the Philippines and Indonesia, the cost of re-entry, which may include living in a quarantine facility, can be more than double their monthly salary. Financial burdens and administrative restrictions dependent on employers make travel prohibitive.
The severe situation of the new crown epidemic and the low vaccination rate in some of these countries should not be ignored. It is necessary and prudent to take isolation measures. However, there is little hope of a sustainable economic recovery because as much as 15 percent of the workforce is effectively stuck building roads, building subway stations, staffing shipyards, caring for the elderly and making sure children are fed — some of them. Salary is only S$28 per person. sky. Making travel home more feasible must be part of Singapore’s reopening plan.
For decades, immigrants in Singapore have lived in rough dormitories, old factories and other converted industrial spaces, or in makeshift housing on the construction sites where they work. Employers pay for their accommodation. Before the outbreak, as many as 30 people shared a room. These residential complexes tend to be on the outskirts of cities, away from the glass and steel wonderlands of major business and shopping districts.
The psychological divide between Singapore and its immigrant workforce is equally wide. The unified public housing blocks known as HDBs have strict quotas for foreign tenants. “A major reason for the policy appears to be that HDB residents don’t like living near workers,” Bloomberg News previously reported. The pandemic has only exacerbated that divide. When the government started recording daily case counts, they took pains to separate “community” cases from those in dormitories, where the virus spread rapidly due to overcrowding with dead bodies and poor sanitation.
Singapore has taken steps to address these deficiencies and reduce the risk of another major outbreak. In September, the company announced the results of a year-long review that capped occupancy at 12 per room and six in shared bathrooms. The standard applies to new housing, which will require more isolation beds to accommodate the disease. According to The Straits Times, MOM officials said older facilities would transition to these guidelines in a “phased manner”.
But the problem remains. Last week, workers at the Westlite Jalan Tukang facility, a so-called rapid-build dormitory developed to meet new norms, expressed dissatisfaction with living conditions, claiming that those who tested positive for Covid-19 were denied proper treatment and quarantine. Photos posted online showed people sleeping in hallways and on the floor outside, reportedly to avoid infecting roommates. A worker told The Straits Times, “These people have been sick for about seven or eight days…their fevers are so high that we have to speak up before we can take any action.”
Riot police in armored vehicles were called in as workers confronted management loudly but otherwise peacefully. Workers also complained that the food they got was rotten or infested with bugs.
Sembcorp Marine Ltd., a builder of offshore rigs that employs about 1,400 dormitory residents, complained about untimely medical care and “unhygienic food preparation,” according to a statement. apology. Westlite Accommodation, which manages the site, also acknowledged the delay, while the Ministry of Manpower said it was aware of the issues mentioned and was working to ensure patients received proper medical care.
In such a situation, workers desperate for paychecks have little leverage. While some have threatened to quit and go home, it is unlikely that this will happen in enough numbers to disrupt business and send a message. This is all the more reason for the government to act first.
Fast-tracking for migrants and domestic workers will start to reduce this burden. It should include more immediate and affordable quarantine requirements, the ability to apply for leave independently of employers, and job or wage guarantees for existing pass holders upon return. Quite a few locals who want tighter coronavirus restrictions will complain, but it’s worth noting that Sri Lanka’s vaccination rate is 63.4%, about the same as the US, which lobbied Singapore to open up in the months leading up to the announcement travel. The privileges that come with key trade and defense ties could become the most powerful vaccine passport yet.
This column does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Rachel Rosenthal is an editor for Bloomberg Opinion. Previously, she worked as a market reporter and editor for The Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong.
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