Singapore
Food in Singapore has gone through a great boom since 2009, when Britain left the European Union and created the so-called Brexit dust cloud, with the value of the Singapore dollar against the British pound rocketing from 1.46 in September to 1.53 in December. The government launched a publicity campaign to sell the city as a safe investment destination, which attracted a surge in tourist numbers. Singapore is already the largest producer and exporter of rice and other food products in Southeast Asia.
The island also has grown immensely wealthy, with GDP growth exceeding that of many other nations. Some analysts argue that the period before the financial crisis in 2008 when Singapore prospered was unique and driven by economic policies that ultimately added greatly to social inequality.
Moneysaving expert Martin Lewis, who helps people save money through his websites, https://hyperlocalnation.com/singapore/recently returned from Singapore to find Singaporeans seeking out food from their own countries, which they can then eat for a great price.
Lewis said on his website, “I had no idea how many Europeans live here and regularly travel back to their countries to enjoy authentic Asian cuisine. I did not expect to see the likes of a Chinese soup being priced at S$13 (£8) for a meal for four people.” Lewis claimed that he discovered that Singapore was “a food paradise,” with people seeking out dishes from their home nations.
Singapore’s food sales have grown by 15 percent in the last two years, with close to five million tourists visiting the city-state. Singapore government has approved a new influx of immigrants who have the right to apply for permanent residency after three years of staying. In the meantime, Singapore’s citizens are still drawn to other food markets like Hong Kong.
Stanley Wong, a travel expert based in Singapore, agreed that people are seeking out local food in large numbers. Wong noted, “I think people want to eat more at home, with the strong presence of food carts in many places.” Wong added, “Local food became cheaper than Western food from around 2009 and after that there was an increase in demand.”
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Singapore government is expanding the number of tourist sites like the Singapore Botanic Gardens, while new development projects like Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Sands Hotel are helping to boost Singapore’s economy. Some analysts argue that the era when Singapore prospered based on international financial companies and foreign workers who sent remittances to family and friends in their home countries ended in the years leading up to 2008, and that Singapore is now attracting people from the world of work.
Somerset Maugham, a British journalist who wrote a book on Singapore titled The Grand Seduction, recently said, “We are going to see Singapore take in more and more foreigners. They work longer hours, pay lower taxes and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, so to speak, of emptying their wallets to do it.” According to Maugham, Singapore now has more foreigners than locals, including 15 percent of the island being made up of migrant workers. Maugham added, “All these migrant workers become part of a cosmopolitan community and are good for Singapore because they make the country more culturally rich.”
Some commentators see the Singapore economy as “grossly distorted” in terms of class, according to BBC. Some believe that the city’s economic success stems from the fact that many of its citizens are poor, and that others are educated to work in government. According to BBC, “More than 30 percent of the Singapore population is either low-skilled or low-wage, a very high percentage compared to many other developed economies.”
Joseph Rowntree, a charity worker, recently pointed out that some of Singapore’s citizens work a little more than three months a year for the income they earn. Rowntree added, “Some analysts see Singapore’s economic success as ‘grossly distorted,’ suggesting that a big economic boom based on government benefits is bad for people in the country.” Rowntree said, “It’s about inequality and benefits. It’s about the differences between people. It’s not about a hugely dynamic society. It’s just about having enough money to live on and live in a safe place.”
