SINGAPORE — Food guru and Makansutra founder KF Seetoh lamented the manpower crunch in the food and beverage industry, as well as in others in Singapore, in a recent Facebook post.
On Dec 28 (Wednesday), he posted a series of photos of a TV interview with local bakery Mdm Ling, where words from the proprietor were captioned at the bottom. “One reason—not enough workers for a second straight year. Nationwide, we have a shortage of labour. So there’s a bit of difficulty in getting staff to work in our business.”
In another part, “But it’s a pain trying to hire staff,” the proprietor says.
Mr Seetoh noted that even “broadcaster n newspaper are saying n echoing the cries of the industry’s lack of manpower,” adding that “Unprompted views on tv news commonly lament the desperation of the industries” in finding sufficient staff, including “home renovation, medical, retail, health n wellness, f&b, factories, cleaning companies.”
And while “99” per cent of Singaporean firms are small and mid-size enterprises that do “their utmost to prop up the so called high falutin society with talented foreigners and provide basic needs,” these are “struggling cos you want them to hire locals to paint hdb blocks, cut and deliver fish or embalm your loved ones.”
The outspoken food guru went on to write, “Seriously? You groomed Sgprns for higher goals.”
He also warned that “If you don’t listen to the cries n needs of the society at large, your moral authority to rule will be greatly eroded.”
Mr Seetoh also criticised automation, writing, “You can remain mysteriously adamant on automating everything,” adding that this technology is still in its “infancy.”
“What happened to the bar tending drones you funded a local pub to implement years ago?” he asked, a likely reference to a 2015 pilot where drones were deployed to bring food to diners’ tables in a local restaurant, a project which appears to no longer exist.
“But it won’t work, not now at least,” wrote Mr Seetoh, adding, “Hurting society, hurts you too.
Let society do and be it’s best, they need your support No need to show pix..but notice the amount of manpower needed to man the automatic baggage check in stations in our airports!” /TISG
KF Seetoh: We are the most expensive city, not the richest. Now u know why your wallet so empty