The Buck Stops Where? A Healthcare Policy Trilemma for Singapore’s Foreign Workers

Abstract

Between October 2010 and November 2010, The Cuff Road Project (TCRP), a twice a day food programme in Little India, Singapore, had catered to 610 foreign workers. Of this, 81% had encountered injuries in their work and had filed a Work Injury Compensation claim. Many low-skilled foreign workers worked in the construction sector where there could be serious work-related injuries. Although there were several legislative measures and regulations to ensure the safety and well-being of these foreign workers, these were oftentimes unknown to the injured workers and were often not complied with by the employers, causing the medical treatment for injured workers to be delayed or denied. This case study highlights some of the policy gaps and the challenges faced by Singapore in maintaining a high level of growth vis-à-vis ensuring the welfare of foreign workers with particular reference to the construction sector. It zooms in on the experiences of two foreign construction workers who experienced workplace injuries, requiring costly and long medical treatment.