NPTD's Addendum to the President's Address 2011

MR TEO CHEE HEAN
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in-Charge of the National
Population and Talent Division, Prime Minister’s Office

The National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) will work with other Government agencies to address the challenge of shaping a sustainable population for a dynamic country. In doing so, NPTD will ensure that Singaporeans’ interests come first, and that our society remains resilient, cohesive and integrated.

A Global Blend of People and Ideas

Singapore is a small but open economy that operates in a globalised environment. To remain successful, we must continue to tap on a global blend of people and ideas to move Singapore ahead and in doing so, create more opportunities for Singaporeans. We will adopt the twin strategy of welcoming talent to augment our economic vitality, while emphasising education and training to equip Singaporeans to advance confidently in the global economy.

Building an Inclusive Society for All

Immigration has helped to address our declining fertility and inject vibrancy in our economy and society. At the same time, we must ensure that Singaporeans’ sense of belonging and national identity remain strong. We will continue to manage the pace of immigration to ensure that immigrants are assimilable, of good quality and can be well integrated into Singapore society.

We will also work with other Government agencies to plan in an integrated manner for social and physical infrastructure that will match the needs of the population.

A Home for Singaporeans

Getting married, starting a family and having children remain important life goals for many Singaporeans. We will continue to promote a pro-family environment to support Singaporeans in realising these life goals. We will continue to engage Singaporeans who are overseas so that they stay connected to Singapore and fellow Singaporeans.

The Government is committed to looking after the interests of every Singaporean. Building a resilient, cohesive and integrated society will require our collective efforts and commitment. Together, we can build a better and distinctly Singaporean home for ourselves and generations to come.