Employees disappointed over postponed minimum wage increase
Some Virgin Islands employees have expressed frustration over the Ministry of Financial Services’ recent postponement of the planned minimum wage increase, originally scheduled to take effect on November 30.
The wage increase would have raised the hourly rate from $6 to $8.50 but in a surprise announcement on Tuesday, government postponed the increase, citing an undisclosed policy matter as the reason.
Speaking on the issue, a local small business owner in the hospitality sector revealed they had already started paying employees the increased rate shortly before the intended implementation date. Now, they are contemplating whether to maintain the adjustment or roll it back partially.
Meanwhile, customer service worker who spoke to our news centre today on the condition of anonymity, shared that the timing of the postponement, so close to Christmas, added to the disappointment. “Some people may have already budgeted for it, especially during the Christmas season,” she said.
Another resident questioned why government made the announcement of an increase at all, only to later disappoint. “Why get people’s hopes up if this was going to happen again?”
The ministry’s decision to postpone the increase has primarily affected minimum wage earners, though some small business owners have expressed relief. Several noted that they were not consulted before the initial announcement in July and had concerns about their ability to sustain operations with the higher wage.
No word from Premier
Since yesterday’s news of the postponement, attempts to reach Premier and portfolio minister Dr Natalio Wheatley, who now oversees Financial Services, have been unsuccessful. He did not respond to our news centre’s questions on the matter.
His ministry indicated that a revised implementation date will be announced in the first quarter of 2025.
The postponed wage increase, introduced by then-Deputy Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Labour Lorna Smith in July, would have boosted fortnightly earnings for minimum wage workers from $480 to $680 for a 40-hour workweek, adding $200 every two weeks.
While many employees welcomed the increase as a long-overdue measure to address the rising cost of living, concerns persisted about its potential effect on prices and small businesses’ financial sustainability.
The adjustment was recommended in a 2023 Social Assistance report, which underscored the need to address wage stagnation in the Virgin Islands. The public awaits further updates on the implementation timeline early next year.
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The Premier of the Virgin Islands needs to address the People of the Virgin Islands and tell them the Truth about the Minimum Wage postponement. There is more in the Mortar besides the Pestle. This cannot happen after the Fact. The Premier knows the Truth, But alledgedly, it will not be in his best interest to divulge such Truth why the Minimum Wage implementation was postponed after the date of ot being enforced. The People of this territory, especially the Workers being affected MUST be given the True reason why the implementation did not happen on the announced date of November 30th.
Heartless crooks that cares not about the average mother, father and child.
Disappointed? These people think businesses print money? The already struggling businesses will just lay off workers if the economy continues to be sluggish like it is. Times are hard for everyone, not just the employee and some people are actually grateful for a job. Some employers are nasty people yes, but overall how can you force something like this on struggling businesses with no balance? What if there are businesses that genuinely cannot afford the increase? Then what? When you raise the employee who was making $6 to $8.50. What happens to the employee that’s currently making $8.50? So it’s not just a minimum wage increase, its a wage increase almost across the board. Some businesses can absorb it, some will not.
Exploitation is ramping in this country. You should be ashamed to have people in the BVI at minimum wage. No one in this country can see their way out of working for pennies. Go to any supermarket, there are no guard rails to help the poor. Go to BVI EC, no protection, try catching taxi or purchasing gas? No guard Rails for the poor. But ooooh you are happy paying pennies while you live large on the backs of the poor?
if you work for a minimum wage employer you are invisible to the BVI government elected politicians.
Simple as that.
Monaco. ST BARTS
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MONACO. St BARTS
0 CRIME. 0 CRIME
0 POVERTY. 0 POVERTY
The human condition currently in these VI has been carved to reflect the general belief notion of Poverty and Crime as our Birthright
The air port expansion will make the 7 million missing plane seem insignificant. Government projects do not pay on time even though they set the schedule. This increase was making jobs more appealing as you will not get less than 8.50 and if you get 8.50 dont feel too indebted.
Is flexing off his skillz / ah said it before – our master nat-al-EO – is a * PLAYER * the (lady) was just another WAY of removing a “THORN” which was was becoming a pain in his asz ,FOR SIMPLY LOOKING OUT FOR the BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE ( WHICH IS WHAT HE SHOULD OF BEEN DOING / SO
HE FIRED HER , AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY , HAD THE AUDACITY TO OFFER A JOB TO DO HIS HOMEWORK FOR HIM , , LOOKS LIKE WE DEALING WITH ANOTHER VERSION OF “PUFF DIDDY “