Brainwaves

Cash prizes for essays on wider income gap by Chua Hian Hou

STUDENTS are being invited to write essays on one of Singapore's hottest topics today - with the added lure of sizeable cash prizes.

The essay competition, organised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Economic Society of Singapore (ESS), has this theme:

Singapore's Growing income disparities: Causes, Consequences And Policy Options

The topic, according to an MAS-ESS press statement, is one that has 'captured the attention of not just policymakers but also analysts, commentators, academics and the general public'.

For students, the competition offers a timely opportunity to 'debate and analyse', as well as to suggest ways for Singapore to meet this challenge, the release said.

Essays submitted, it added, should 'provide in-depth analysis of the factors underlying the trends in income distribution in Singapore... There should be both breadth and depth in discussing policy options to meet present and future challenges'.

Competition topics in previous years have included lessons learnt from the Asian financial crisis, how Singapore can stay competitive, and the role of the government in an increasingly borderless world.

There are two categories: one for university students and one for pre-university students. The top prize for the university category is $5,000 and for the pre-university category, $2,000. Winners and runners-up will be offered internships with the MAS.

Dateline: 31st March 2008
MAS-ESS Essay Competition 2007/2008