Water is something needed by everyone, we cannot live without it. Without it, life cannot continue without water, but we treat water as a commodity, something we pay for, something we use trade. So why is water being treated this way, it should be as a human right, as a human right would mean having something we need, something we cannot live without, not something we should be paying for, and if we do not have the money, we do not get any. I feel that this is a very wrong way to treat something so important to us humans. And also, by treating water as a commodity, it allows it access to be determined by the market, and the pricing to be changed by those who have it. So, yes there is a large difference to treating water as a human right or commodity, because if it is a human right, then people should get it regardless of where they can pay for it, but if it is like a commodity, then if the person does not have any money, none is given to the person. So we should treat water as a human right, as without it life cannot continue. But we also have to see a point, which is if we do treat it as a human right, and water is provided in limitless amounts to people, then what if many people waste the water? And what if those people feel that since they can have a limitless amount of water without paying, then they will just let the water run, without worrying to pay more. So, we should partially treat it as a human right and a commodity, so as make sure that everyone gets water, yet no one wastes it, but still everyone will get the water they deserve to get.

Term 3 week 1 : should the giving of weekly days off to maids be legislated in Singapore?

In my opinion, no it should not be legislated. Firstly, I feel that the once a month off day for them is really too little, but once a week might be too much for them. Instead, they should change it to a twice a month full day off, and maybe two more half days off, whereby maybe in the morning, after they have finished what is necessary, they have the rest of the day off to do whatever they want to, but the holidays should be decided by the maids themselves, but cannot be taken consecutively over the days. The government, should also maybe make a ruling that if the maid wishes to return to their hometown, they should be given a week or two weeks off to go back to their hometown every year. Also, if the employer has a specific reasons for the maid to come back early, the week or two should be given. Also, I feel that there should be a yearly health check for them, to be paid by the employers. Also, I feel that in making all these rules, I feel that the number of people that the maid is caring for, or the area of the house she is in charge of should be taken into consideration, when maybe giving her the number of days off, thus making it more fair. I believe this rules will make it much more fair to both the employers, and the maids themselves, thus creating better relations. After thinking of all this, I feel that maids are also people and workers, and they should be treated equally and fairly.