Commenting on the population trend projection where the number of deaths is expected to exceed that of birth in 2023, SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan noted that while other countries can depend on birth rates in the rural areas to supplement the shortfall of those in the city, Singapore does not have that option. She highlighted that a declining trend in our population size will have a significant impact on our labour force and offered several suggestions to alleviate the impact.