We will scale-up the temporary redeployment programme. We will create around 4,000 new jobs, including permanent roles, in the healthcare sector alone. And we are also creating more jobs in other areas of need.
Our foreign visitor arrivals have dried up because of the travel restrictions, but we are determined to support our tourism sector by encouraging local tourism. I will set aside $320 million for tourism credits that Singaporeans can use. We will call them the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers. Many Singaporeans love to travel but are unable to do so now. Local consumption will not fully make up for tourist spending, but I hope Singaporeans will take the opportunity to explore our local culture and heritage, nature, art, and architecture. You may be surprised by what you discover. The Ministry of Trade and Industry will provide more details next month.
Businesses in the arts and culture, and sports sectors will also take much longer to resume full activities. These are important sectors that strengthen our social fabric and diversity. Support was provided through the Resilience Budget. I am prepared to provide further support to preserve core capabilities that we have built over the years, in consultation with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.
A small number of businesses, such as those in the nightlife industry, may unfortunately not be able to open soon, due to safe management considerations. For these businesses, the Government will help them transition to other activities or ease their exit. More details will be provided by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Transforming Our Economy For A Post-COVID-19 World
Our third strategy is to continue to transform our economy. We started our economic transformation five years ago, when we developed Industry Transformation Maps for 23 sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated many structural shifts. Let us build on our head start and continue to prepare our workers and businesses for the future.
What will the post-COVID-19 world look like? No one really knows. But it will not be business-as-usual. The US-China strategic competition has intensified, with tremendous implications on trade, technology, and the global order. Global supply chains are being reconfigured, with a greater premium placed on resilience and reliability. The digital shift has accelerated, challenging the viability of current business models, and changing many jobs. New areas of growth – such as healthcare, sustainability, and artificial intelligence – are emerging. New jobs are being created, requiring new skills and new ways of working.
To build on our transformation momentum, I allocated $8.3 billion over three years to support our Transformation and Growth strategy in our Unity Budget in February.
Firms that have invested in innovation were able to nimbly pivot to new opportunities during this crisis.
One example is Decks Private Limited, a retailer with brands such as Island Shop. During the Circuit Breaker, it revamped its e-commerce platform and expanded to other e-marketplaces. Its online sales increased tenfold. It is now taking the opportunity to expand and hire more workers even though the retail sector has been hard hit.
Another example is Certact Engineering, a precision engineering company. When the pandemic struck, Certact pivoted to manufacturing parts for high- demand medical equipment like ventilators. Today, the company is working with the union to upskill its workers.
Our startups are also contributing to economic growth and our efforts against COVID-19. To continue to spur innovation and entrepreneurship, I will set aside up to $150 million, to enhance the Startup SG Founder programme in phases. We will raise the startup capital grant and continue to provide mentorship. The Ministry of Trade and Industry will provide more details later this week.
Earlier this year, I set up the Emerging Stronger Taskforce, co-led by Minister Desmond Lee and Mr Tan Chong Meng. The Taskforce has been consulting widely, and is in the midst of a three-month sprint to prototype new ideas through the industry-led Alliances for Action. Areas being covered include smart commerce and supply chain digitalisation. Working together with our businesses, we will capture new opportunities, create better jobs, and reimagine our economy, so that we can emerge stronger from the crisis.
Conclusion
The continued support in our fight against COVID-19 will cost $8 billion. We intend to fund these measures by reallocating monies from other areas, such as development expenditures that were delayed due to COVID-19. There are no plans to draw on Past Reserves for these measures, beyond what was approved earlier.
I have briefed the President and the Council of Presidential Advisers on the latest situation and the need for these measures. I thank them for their earlier support and approval for the use of Past Reserves to respond to the crisis, which has put us on a strong footing to manage the evolving situation.
We are living in unprecedented times. Let us continue to focus our minds on making the best use of what we have, to build a stronger economy and a more cohesive society. It is a difficult journey ahead, but you will not walk alone. We are faced with an extraordinary crisis, but we are one people with extraordinary courage, commitment, and can-do spirit.
We have the fortitude – to improvise, adapt, and overcome the uncertainties. We have the resilience – to weather the difficulties, turn challenges into opportunities, and prepare for the future. And we will stand in solidarity as one united Singapore – to beat this crisis and emerge stronger as a nation.
Thank you.
來源：新加坡政府網站
