The old-dependency ratio was 1:11.6 in 1990 and approximately 1:9.8 in 2000. In 2030 it is expected to be 1:3.5 . Not 11.6 but 3.5 economically active per sons will be supporting one older person in 2030. To that must be added the young-de pendency ratio. In Singapore in 2030 approximately 56.4% of the population will be a charge on someone else. In 2001 the figure was 40.4%: 30.0 per 100 under 15, 10.4 per 100 over 65 . Foreign labour, both contract and immigrant, will increase value added and reduce the proportion of the GDP that goes to non-producing consumers. The baby bonus to encourage larger resident families may have a similar effect. What policy cannot do is to reduce the rising absolute burden of very old people who depend and do not produce.