Question: Discuss a “divide” that exists due to the lack of ICT or other digital technology in a particular country/academic discipline, and propose measures that could be implemented to address the problem.
Foreign workers play an important role in Singapore's economy as they accept the low-paying jobs which most Singaporeans are not willing to do. According to the statistics provided by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) (“Foreign workforce numbers,” 2014), there were about 0.3 million foreigners working in Singapore’s construction sector as of June 2014. The focus of this essay will be on these foreign workers who are working in Singapore's construction sector. Despite the rapid development and availability of Information & Communication Technology(ICT) in Singapore, a large number of these foreign workers remain “disconnected” from the Internet as they do not have the financial capability to own an ICT device. As a result, this leads to a digital divide between them and their employers as they face several disadvantages due to information failure or imperfect knowledge. Occasionally, there are cases of foreign workers in Singapore being treated unfairly by their employers due to different factors. One of the main factors allowing the employers to do so is the existence of information discrepancy between them and their workers. The Singapore (government’s) Ministry of Manpower can address the problem of this information discrepancy by forcing employers to provide the means by which workers can access the internet, and also putting in more effort in getting the necessary information and skills across to the workers.
The digital divide between the foreign workers and their employers exists mainly in the form of information discrepancy. When their average monthly wages range between $480 to $1500 (Chia & Zaccheus, 2012), foreign workers depending on their nationalities generally do not have the (additional) spending power to own ICT devices due to their low income, and the need to set aside money for remittance. Without a proper ICT device, they are unable to access the Internet, which contains lots of information and platforms which they can seek help from. As such, this poses a kind of information failure which the employer may abuse and put the workers at a disadvantage.
Despite the government’s efforts to “protect foreign workers’ rights” (Ng, 2009), there are still many cases of unfair treatments by employers. According to a survey by Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to assisting low-wage migrant workers when they are in difficulty, one third of the 328 male foreign workers surveyed are not paid what they are supposed to be paid (“One third of male,” 2014). Another recent survey by TWC2 suggests that 26 to 40 percent of male migrant workers are illegally forced to forfeit a portion of their pay as a form of “saving money” (“20 to 40 percent of,” 2014a). These same workers may be easily “misled” by their employers, since they come from another country and do not know the rights they are entitled to in Singapore. With little free time available due to long working hours, and little or no connection to people that can help them, they can only wait for help to arrive instead of asking for help. However, with the aid of the Internet, it would be easier and more convenient for them to retrieve the information needed or to address their queries when they feel that they are mistreated.
The abovementioned examples demonstrate that the digital divide that exists between these foreign workers and their employers is mainly in the form of information discrepancy. Even though information discrepancy is not the sole factor contributing to the unfair or unjust treatments the workers received, it makes it easier for the employers to take advantage of them. Furthermore, the lack of access to the Internet makes it difficult for these workers to seek help from an appropriate platform.
As mentioned previously, the main reason why foreign workers remain “disconnected” is due to their limited financial capability. Providing them with subsidized computer would not be a wise option as they could easily abuse the system by selling the computer bought with the subsidies and earning quick money. To ensure that they are able to get the necessary ICT equipment, MOM could force employers to set up an “Internet Corner” in the workers’ accommodation premises. This enabled the foreign workers to have access to the Internet and necessary ICT equipment without spending huge sums of money.
Some might argue that there is no incentive for the employers to fork out additional capital to provide internet access for their foreign workers. However, the companies can win the hearts of stockholders and public by portraying a good public image (Koening, n.d.) when they provide basic welfare to the workers. In addition, MOM could provide incentives to the employers such as giving out foreign-worker-levy rebates if they opt to do so.
Another limitation MOM has to consider is the digital literacy of these foreign workers. Fortunately, current technologies are designed to be as user-friendly as possible. This enables those who are new to digital technologies to be able to adapt quickly with appropriate guidance. As such, MOM could organise free courses or events to educate foreign workers on how to take full advantage of the Internet. Besides educating the foreign workers, MOM should also ensure that the foreign workers know where they can seek help from when the need arises. When issuing permits to them, they could make use of the opportunity to inform them about the respective platforms to seek help from, either verbally or in the form of pamphlets. On top of that, MOM could issue informative posters to be put up around the workers’ accommodation premises.
In conclusion, a lack of financial capability is the main reason why foreign workers in Singapore remain “disconnected” from the Internet. This results in a digital divide, mainly in the form of information discrepancy, between them and their employers. Consequently, this information discrepancy makes it easier for the employers to abuse the workers’ rights. On top of that, the existence of digital divide also slows the process of offering help to the workers when they are treated unfairly. In order to address the problems due to this digital divide, MOM could tackle the “divide” by forcing and providing incentives to the employers when they help their workers get “connected”. Additionally, educating these foreign workers on how to make use of the Internet and what are the platforms they can get help from are equally crucial in making the solution feasible. Hence, MOM plays an important role in getting the important information and necessary skills across to them.
