Forum: Moving migrant workers offshore distracts from deeper social issues

While Mr Lim Soon Heng's proposal for floating accommodation for migrant workers in construction may help maximise land use, it distracts us from the deeper social issues this pandemic has unveiled (A floating dorm for workers: An idea that merits consideration, May 23).

The onus is on us, the larger society which they have come here to serve, to address the issues that plague migrant worker dormitories, many of which have become especially prominent with the outbreak of Covid-19.

Providing dormitories with better liveability and higher-quality amenities is possible on the mainland. Moving workers offshore does nothing to materially guarantee these improvements will take place. Instead it minimises public exposure to and, by extension, awareness of these workers and the issues they face. What we should do now is focus on enhancing their standard of living and resilience to future outbreaks.

Furthermore, placing the workers offshore limits their ability to interact with non-floating islanders in normal times. This restricts their ability to widen their social circle and support network, which may have a demoralising effect.

More pertinently, access to non-governmental organisations that assist migrant workers will also be made more difficult. Even a 10-minute ferry commute is vulnerable to factors such as fluctuating weather conditions, which can severely inconvenience workers seeking help on the mainland.

Mr Lim claims that "in our small way, by offering these jobs to migrant workers, we blur the line between the world's haves and have-nots". But that blurring should not merely be a question of subsistence. Our responsibility to them does not stop at providing a salary; we need to accept them as part of our community, and take measures to protect and enhance their quality of life.

Joshua Boo Jin An

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