Minimum wage affected by US tariffs
Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley has announced a further delay to the long-promised minimum wage increase, attributing the latest setback to newly imposed tariffs by the United States on several countries, including the British Virgin Islands.
Originally announced in July 2024, the wage increase was set to raise the hourly minimum from $6 to $8.50, boosting fortnightly earnings from $480 to $680 for a standard forty-hour workweek. However, just days before its scheduled implementation, the government postponed the rollout, citing policy concerns. At the time, Premier Wheatley stated that a “way forward” had been determined and promised to update the public by the end of March.
Now, because of the 10% tariff imposed on the BVI, the leader said his government will have to revisit the decision, since the tariff is likely to affect local prices.
“The tariff situation came in and there’s a possibility of increased prices in the supermarket and other places. That has basically set us back, and we’ll have to do further dialogue before we make an announcement. Please bear with us because we have some further investigations to do,” Dr Wheatley said during an April 10 interview on Tola Radio.
He noted that some supermarket operators have already been informed of impending price adjustments, which could soon impact consumers.
“It’s a fluid situation, and things may change based on agreements that the US makes with countries around the world,” the Premier added.
To help ease the transition, Premier Wheatley previously recommended a phased implementation of the new wage and suggested increasing the current $10,000 tax exemption threshold to cushion the impact on both businesses and workers.
The minimum wage in the Virgin Islands has remained at $6 per hour since 2016.
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Handy excuse for doing nothing. You’d think if US tariffs are raising prices then it is even more important to raise minimum wage. These tariffs, while threatened, were not in evidence when this issue was supposedly being revisited earlier this year. Next excuse will be just as absurd.
Bananas!!!!!! $6 is no where near a livable wage.
Please explain how a tariff on goods imported to the US could have any impact at all on the BVI. It’s a ridiculous proposition on its face.
Where do you think we import our goods from? We import from the United States who is paying tariffs and thereby increase prices, on these goods. They then export them to the BVI where the price is passed on to ignorami such as yourself. We do not live in a vacuum.
That is exactly why we must diversify our economy so that we are not solely dependent on one country.
This guy is a mo**n. How the little people going to pay higher prices on minimum wage? You going to throw another party/concert and give rum to the little people, let them party one night and send them drunk back to the plantation? Yassuh masser,yassuh.
Good times, some time , not now , but maybe soon.
excuse since there is no economic connection between raising the BVI minimum wage and a 10% tariff on goods exported from the BVI and imported by the USA!
A box of cornflakes and a small box milk $20.00 in supermarket! Its hopeless!
This is what is truly frustrating about these fools, and we as a people take it in, hook, line, and sinker.
Yes – U.S tariffs will add costs and headaches, trade and commerce is like that!
What is disgusting, is our Premier, who uses this info like it just came off a propaganda show, while failing to acknowledge our own ridiculous import tariffs on goods, that make the cost of all goods so high here! Our trade with the USA is no existent! Tropical already put notices out that they do not expect their ships to be affected by this, and their ownership is in Washington DC lobbying for their ships to be exempt!
Many times, I sat in the Minimum Wage meetings and made it very clear to a majority of Government workers who made up the group (and had already decided what was to be done) that we as a country have to address import duties on critical goods, especially day to day cost of living goods, and addition with a minimum wage hike. In addition to that, we needed to immediately adjust and lower the payroll tax threshold to give minimum earners more disposable money. Every single suggestion was shot down by the majority of Government workers that controlled the panel, and had zero concept of trickle-down economics, and the importance of doing these three things hand in hand together! Adjust our import tariffs in household goods, and foods, adjust payroll tax to benefit lower income workers, and raise the minimum wage! This would be a netw in for lower end workers, and spending would increase in the BVI economy!
Still, they refuse to acknowledge logical things that will help the lower earners in this country, and in turn help our economy, too.
So, stop blaming the USA, and tariffs because it is a convenient media narrative that makes you look like the victim, and you have no control! When indeed, it is entirely the opposite, and things you could do to help people in this country immediately, are ignored because the world media want you to forget what your country is doing to you and find a convenient outside party to blame for our woes and Government ignorance and incompetence!
BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF LOWER EARNERS ARE NOT FROM HERE
Now I ask the Question: Do you see why that 2 Volume Recommendation Report was necessary???
This Territory is Doomed if something doesn’t happen soon..
Why when it comes to helping the Citizens of this Territory there is always an Excuse or delay, But when it comes to spending OUR Money on Parties its
“How much you Wan?”
Lord, Lord, Please Help this Little Nation!!
Now that has to be a lie… SO how workers going to meet the increase cost of food etc with a $6 pay?? Make it make sense. Also, Trump put a pause of the tariffs. The minimum wage hike has nothing to do with the tariffs…if anything it tells you it is needed. poor people gotta beg for $2.50? when a 1 bedroom is over $1000. Get real.
If that is not the stupidest excuse I have heard. Its so stupid it’s insulting. Just say you have no power to raise it because you want to be voted in again and don’t want to turn the bigger heads against you. You’re nothing but a puppet you should be ashamed of yourself
Let’s put the Ministers on the Minimum wage.
It was only a matter of time the blame was going to shift towards the US.
They have no hesitation passing laws that serve their own interests—take Greedy Bill, for example. They’re quick to allocate a quarter of a million to Kartel for a show, yet when it comes to legislation that actually benefits the people, they drag their feet. It’s incredibly shameless behavior.
So you see Mister Honorable, this is why We love to run down by His Excellency, the Governor. We have a trust issue with Elected Officials. Who really believes it’s the News of the Tariffs why there is an additional delay in Implementing the Minimum Wage in the Virgin Islands? Tell that to the Idiots not to anyone with Sense. Most of BVI Elected Officials are caught with their Pants on Fire. Iar, iar, Pants on Fire!!! Could it be that the hold back on the Mininmum Wage is because of some Big Tourism Businesses pleading against it??? Enquiring Minds need to know.
Dehman what? So basically, “screw them, we gah make our money first!”? Aight.
Black on Black crime from every angle in this place.
Unconscionable,inhumane liars and fraudsters.
They sing the loudest in Church every Sunday.
The disrespect from these elected chits is over the top!!!
This guy for real? Since we can’t get that 8%, roll back the increase you all just gave to yourselves.
Y’all drag it out before tarrifs was even issues
Keep treating us like we dum
Thats why we gah skip y’all and head straight to governor and complain take lash man.
Y’all scream UK racist but you treat your own like filth. Unless it’s family and friends or any one in your inner circle
Were already told a out how smart these wannabe aristocrats were always pointing their dirty fingers when they can no longer procrastinate , they look for a scapegoat to carry the blame / and here comes ” master trump” in the nick of time / so he is is going to be used as the reason / just like how judge WIGGIE and others is using the white colonialist as a scapegoats for everything under the sun , when the things that they have done wrong and got caught