A Flaw (or Two) in this Jewel

It's well known that Singapore keeps a pretty tight rein on certain behaviors and norms in an effort to make the face of this country an attractive jewel in the Asian realm. This is a hard thing to achieve in a multi-ethnic society and there is a lot to commend in their general achievement. In fact, a podcast I recently listened to from NPR Radio about the happiest places to live included Singapore among them. Yet, it can't be perfect - no place is. And then I came across this article highlighting the plight of maids in service (or servitude?) here. Clearly there is much work to be done on this front before that flaw threatens the sparkle on this gem.

On a different front, Asia in general has a high reputation for friendly, attentive service. I think we can say that seems to be generally but not universally true. And here in Singapore so far we've noticed at many restaurants that service is seriously lacking if not a joke! We often have to look around pleadingly for any attention at all and when it comes you may be lucky if they pay attention to your request. In fact, it sometimes feels like you are inconveniencing the staff! Though we haven't needed to use too many other services as yet, time will tell if this is a fluke but so far we rate it very poorly indeed!