Higher minimum wage not the answer
Following the release of a social assistance report that recommended an increase in the existing $6 minimum by 100 percent or more, host of the Hot Seat radio programme, Julian Gordon, has suggested that the proposed increase offered limited guarantees as a solution for the economic woes faced by residents.
While noting that something needs to be done about the minimum wage, Gordon argued that officials should look at all the elements when deciding on a final figure. He said the government must also consider the consequence of making such a decision.
Meanwhile, co-host Daniel Fligelstone Davies argued that retailers and service providers will not simply absorb the effects of an increase in the minimum wage and will most likely pass this burden on to consumers.
“If you (the government) want to say, ‘well, we’re going to freeze prices’, the businesses don’t have to provide the services or the goods,” Davies reasoned.
He further said, even as the discussion heightens around an increase in the minimum wage, people have not been paying attention to the fact that pensions have remained stagnant over the years.
“Let us take a look at who can afford to probably raise the minimum wage, the big companies. The small businesses — the mom-and-pop shops with one or two employees. They can’t afford it,” he added.
Davies also contended that a minimum wage increase to $15 will mean retirees and persons on public assistance will suffer the worst effects.
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We don’t want to address the real problem so we keep raising minimum wage to reach back in the same situation. Give us proper consumer protection and stop the banks and supermarkets from raping everybody! Right now what is stopping the cost of everything from just increasing to compensate for increased minimum wage? Then you back to square one… Again. We don’t learn at all or wha?
Sadly commentators like figelworth Davies know zero about running a business, but happy to run their mouth about it
He runs a business and grew up in a small business community. Perhaps you can stop trolling and show us where he was wrong.
This would hit the employers hard, and who are the employers ? Th big island families aka politicians. Don’t get your hopes up
This Minister is the wrong person to deal with this Subject. Leave it with the Minister of labour to present to the public and garner feedback.
They need a price control for renting on apartments compared to wages people are receiving from their jobs plus utility bills as well then consumers price for food etc.
absolutely. Without consumer protection laws and an agency, if the min wage is doubled, electricity, goods and rents will just double. The gouging is a conscious thing we do here- as much as the market will bear.
Increase minimum wage to $8.50. Per hr that’s $66.00 per day. Then increase the tax exemption amt to $15.000. For those working for $30.000 or less annually. Problem solved. Of course with an honest promise of another review in 30 months.
If people like them can figure a way to cut the minimum wage they would gladly do so. Why should poor hard working people be given anymore on their meager paycheck? Afterall, keep them poor and hungry so we can manipulate them forever, Let them be begging, falling on their knees to accept handouts, doing whatsoever we ask them to do no matter how degrading, that’s the way forward for the BVI. Who wants to thief do it so that they can bring business to the the lawyers for defence when caught. Or run drugs, let the lawyers prosper. Nice work Mr. G.
@ok. You can’t tell people how much to rent their apartments for. Just look for one you can afford.
No matter which way you twist it salaries are to low, the minimum wage amount that we pay folks, I maintain all those who believe the minimum wage is good should have their pay altered they would be paid at that low wage for three months and then they can report. We ne to stop coping the broken systems of the US & the UK, there is no one system that is perfect we need to borrow the best part from the different systems and put them to work for us, have a referendum on that, how do we marry the different financial and govermentel models.
Unfortunately the Worldwide market dictates the cost of goods, so little can be done locally.
YoU TO BELIEVE IN MIRACLES , IF THEY LL DOING THE SAME THING , WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO FIND ONE ? YOU BETTER WAKE UP BRO UNLESS YOU ARE ONE OF THEM ? ?
I agree Bumble bee .We aspire to become a distinguished and advanced nation characterized by a robust GDP and a reputation for an exceptional standard of living. However, our inadequacy in providing adequate compensation raises a pertinent inquiry: could this be attributed to the identity of those occupying low-wage positions? If our aim is to advocate for the rights of individuals, it is imperative that we undertake comprehensive measures rather than adopting a half-hearted approach.
Bermuda 16.50
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USVI 10.25
Caymans 7.20
There are some companies that are not paying minimum wage. Some are paying $7, $8, $10 even $12 per hour. If the minimum wage increases they will be fine but I guarantee they would not increase their pay until the next go round.
We continue to complain about the rental cost for an apartment,but what we really need to look at is the price we pay to insure that apartment,button line the only way rent can be controlled is when Government figures out how they can controlled the ridiculous interest and insurance cost we pay to own a home. I an 100% sure those who complain about rental cost would have a different view if they were the Landlords .
It is so funny that people always reason that if minimum wage goes up cost of living goes up. For years everything going up except minimum wage, look at the price of rent, the price of an average one bedroom is $1200 and 2 bedroom is $ 1600 . There is a big gap between cost of living and minimum wage . I spend an average of $ 250 per week for groceries and I am a single person, I can imagine households with 4 or 5 people in a family would have to spend. There is a miss match when it comes to cost of living and salaries, people working above minimum wage struggling!!!
Went to cinthy for a pack of paper $5 last week. $10 this week. I said no way walked out. Rip offffff
Given the state of the Territory these days, there really isn’t much evidence we’ve learned anythimng, perhaps other than to be better at corruption, cronyism and drug running.
Politicians should be paid minimum wage. That would help them understand.
The absurdity of the argument that it will devastate the economy is that any business which wants to keep employees already paying more that minimum wage; my lowest paid employee is three times minimum wage with benefits well above those mandated in the Labour Code.