Minimum wage to increase to $7.25 in July, says Premier
The minimum wage in the Virgin Islands will increase from $6 to $7.25 per hour starting in July, Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley announced on Tuesday evening.
He said the change will be implemented in phases, with a further increase planned “sometime in the future.”
“Well, as persons would know, we had announced an $8.50 minimum wage some months ago,” Dr. Wheatley said during a live broadcast of Virgin Islands Voice. “When I became the minister of the subject, I wanted to review it. And given everything that was happening in the world, and in discussion with businesses, and in discussion with our public stakeholders, we decided to take a phased approach, so we wouldn’t go directly to that $8.50.”
He explained that the full $8.50 rate would not be implemented immediately due to concerns about inflation and the broader cost of living.
“Before we increase more, we have to make sure we have the ‘basket of goods’ in place. We have to make sure that we have certain measures in place as it pertains to consumer protection so that we don’t have the prices go up too much,” he said.
To support the transition, Dr. Wheatley said efforts are underway to improve the efficiency of major import operations.
“We’ve been talking about getting cheaper goods from different supply markets. I believe when we do some of those things, we’ll be in a better position to increase the minimum wage to the full $8.50,” he stated.
He cautioned, however, that any wage increase could trigger ripple effects throughout the economy.
“You raise the minimum wage for a group, but everybody’s prices will go up. So it’s something that we have to be careful about, and we have to be conscious of,” he said, describing it as a “domino effect.”
Despite this, the Premier acknowledged that the current rate is no longer acceptable.
“We know that $6 is inadequate. So we’ll go ahead and raise that up in the first instance, and then we’ll prepare for further increases. We’ll have periodic reviews,” he said.
The phased increase comes after an earlier Cabinet decision to implement an $8.50 hourly rate by December 2024. That plan was placed under review following public feedback and concerns about economic pressure.
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on this issue appears too small. $8.50/hr would be better for minimum wage employees.
How retarded; S!0wW@nde approved minimum wage. What about cost and price control measures. Fawk!n I’d!0t. I know that he is terrible with math but also no common sense. All he know to do is approve greedy bills
This truly is pathetic. Put all the Ministers on $7.50 an hour if you think it is a good wage.
VIP party only Governing for the Elites and VIP’s not the people.
WTF am I reading here?
Lower, or remove Government tariffs on food, and household goods, and adjust the payroll tax for lower income workers! Those will have immediate impacts.
No doubt, there will have to be mechanisms in place to make sure that businesses pass on those tariff savings to the customers.
But both these items can be done immediately and have profound effects on lower income earners.
I suspect the real issue at hand is that Government had not budgeted for their own people to be paid the increased wage, hence the reasons for the delay! The private sector had already planned for the change back in November of last year, and in most cases private sector businesses have honored that rate hike and are all currently paying employees the $8.50 that we all anticipated as being law, and Government has already seen increased payroll tax returns for that!
Outside of Hospitality, shelf packers, gas attendants and more lower end jobs, do you really think people are being paid $6 per hour? Do you really think Government is paying anyone $6 per hour? Do you realize if it jumps to $8.50 then ALL prices in supermarkets etc. will go up to suit, which means the same people who you are trying to help are hit even harder as they would be paying more in NHI, SS etc.?
then lower the SS, tax and NHI or persons making under a certain number. This is not as hard as youre making it seem.
@@Salty Fish
Yes Cowboy, I get it. Once again, you fail to see the forest for the trees.
One CANNOT control those that skirt the laws of the BVI by paying less than minimum wage. That is between the employees that accept that, their employers the willfully abuse, and Government that looks away for many reasons!
I myself am in hospitality, and EVRY SINGLE ONE OF MY EMPLOYEES are paid ABOVE the proposed minimum wage!
So, save your lectures for those that do not abide by the law, or employees that accept payments less than what is legally required by unscrupulous employers!
My comments were based on a set of ideas to help advance lower wage employees that would allow them to cope with current cost of living expenses.
It would be helpful it you proposed solutions, rather than wasting away your keyboard on negative rants. This is exactly why our territory is so messed up!
If badmind and wickedness was a person, I cant wait for ayo to get out of government! ayo to wicked!!!
You go back where you’re from if you dont like how we do things here
Employee works 8 hour day x 5 days x 52 weeks @ $7.50 per hour = $15,600.00 per annum before pay role tax deducted
First $10.000.00 tax free. Balance $5,600.00 less tax @ 8% = $448.00 tax
Net balance received by employee $15,132.00 or $7.27 per hour worked
Just one of Natures Little Secrets
Slavery indeed. What can anyone do with $15,132.00/yr in the British Virgin Islands?
You cannot even purchase a decent plate of food with something to drink in this place for under 20 bucks if you do not have the means. I really wonder sometimes how some folks are making it.
That is not a living wage. These are poverty wages. The cost of living being so high, that money will not go far in todays world.
I see why some people turn to criminality, which I do not endorse, to support themselves.
To any person working for such wages, here is a take home message for you to ponder:
You will NEVER be able to elevate yourself from poverty at those wages.
You have to start thinking of improving your skills or education, opening a side hustle, or opening a new business to make ends meet. Whatever skills you have, put them to use for yourself rather than someone else.
View such low paying jobs as temporary, as stepping stones to a better life and earning more money.
Don’t get comfortable in them. Stay in them only as long as you need to, but always have a mindset that you can do better, and will do better.
If you have a family, it’s even more important to get beyond these wages as it’s next to impossible to support your family on little to nothing. You can do it.
I have said on this forum before that sometimes when I read these stories about low wages, I recognize how far I have personally travelled in my life from nothing. I sometimes feel guilty for some strange reason that I am not struggling.
Today 15K is nothing to earn for me as I make that and more each day. This did not happen overnight but after decades of education, hard work, perseverance, and grit, it became possible.
You can earn more too with a similar life investment. It does not have to be as extensive as mine, but with the internet as it is today, you can make a lot of money there. You can definitely bring in additional income to supplement what you are making.
Do not expect the government to lift you out of poverty or low wages. You see how they are dragging their feet on this increase. The blind can see.
A promise of $8.25 has now been watered down to a delayed $7.25 with the additional presumable being phased in “sometime in the future.”
For some of you that “sometime in the future.” may never come. Make up your mind today to change that for yourself.
If you have difficulty getting on with it think about this:
Your hourly wage cannot buy you lunch. I repeat: Your hourly wage cannot buy you lunch.
Something got to change, and it starts with you.
He’s helping his rich friends not the people
Clock is ticking…
It sure is, and I pray that the People will take note and do something.
They didn’t care about the negative effects on the economy when they passed the greedy bill though.
Not all is bad, for restaurants if you add service charge, reduce the percentage paid out to employees to accommodate the increase.
Lower the tax for persons making under 20k a year and set it to no tax if they are a local.
If you’re making below 30k. No tax until you reach 16k.
The more you make the higher the tax rate.
I must pay tax at the 10k bracket because I make making more than 30k? Aren’t the gas prices and groceries going to increase in price for me too?
I can’t benefit from the 16k tax exemption too? I have my child to feed, school fees, rent, auto loan , bills. Just because I make more don’t mean I am rich.
While Half a Loaf is Better than none at all, i must say that I am not convinced that this is a true statement from the Minister for the subject. My Reasons:
1. Come July or before, there will be another reason why the Minimum Wage will not be implemented. (Watch and Listen).
2. July, especially for the Hospitality Businesses
is the Eve of Most Closures for those
Businesses as they normally close for the
Hurricane season and we know that the slow
season starts in May except for the Christmas
in july Annual Weekend Fiesta.
3. It would be interesting to get Labour
Statistics on How many Employees total in the
BVI Workforce who are on the Bare minimum Wage.
4. Secondly, the statistics should include the
nature of Employment. eg. Hospitality Worker,
etc. etc.
5. We are aware that Some if not All Hospitality
Establishments do pay service Charge or
Gratuity in addition to Regular Pay.
6. It is also important and grateful to note that
Some Businesses are already paying some of
Their entry Level Employees $7.00 and $8.00
per Hour.
7. I think if in fact the statistics published
about 26% of the BVI Workforce being Nationals
of the Virgin Islands is indeed a worrisome
matter and one which the Elected Officials
should make a Top priority through All those
concerned ie, Labour, Employers, Education,
Un-Employed, etc to rectify this situation.
8. I think more emphasis should be placed
especially on the Youths of this Society
through Parents, Teachers, Government and other
Stakeholders in ensuring that we maintain a
viable Environment for future generations thru
proper Funding, Mentoring, Healthy lifestyle,
General parenting and Neighbouring Interest for
All Children of our Territory so that the
majority if not All can embrace and carry-on
the Legacies of our fore-Parents for a Better
Virgin Islands.
9. Lastly and Very much Important, this means also
that the Finances of our territory should be
spent mostly on the Priority needs instead of
being spent merely on Parties and other Lawless
Activities. STOP Thinking only about YOU and
NOW. Think ABOUT THE FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDREN!!!
Hon. Premier, In your second Paragraph about sometime in the Future, I don’t like your Tone.
That sounds like Never or at Least Not during your Tenure. My Heart Bleeds for those Minimum Wage,
Young, Single-Parent Workers. Not everyone Think and
Spend wisely. At least this should be an Eye-opener for Some. Taking responsibility for your Life at an early age is critical. Set realistic Goals and work towards achieving them. Once there is Life, There is Hope.
Once again, I would like to open up the idea of minimum wage brackets in relation to age.
• 16–18: $7.25/hour
• 18–21: $7.75/hour
• 21–25: $8.25/hour
• 25–30: $8.75/hour
• 30+: $9.25/hour
This age-based wage system is fair and affordable, helping young people get jobs while rewarding older workers for their experience.
Amounts to systemic age discrimination.
Fair point
There will arrive a time, long, long after we here are all gone, when due to man’s economic inhumane considerations to man, all of the systems that have been developed to exploit the small and weak by the favored, so called misguided and powerful, will disappear,so much so that not even a piece of ash would be found to commemerate this era of heartlessnes, selfishnes and unGodliness.
God fed twelve men with two fish, but don’t quote me,i am not a student of the Bible.
Today,he has provided millionsand billions of fishes, yet most of those fishes are going into just afew stomachs, while the vast human majoritygo hungry and wanting.
It is said that, God does not like ugly. Who knows? But all major civilizations of the came and left,primarily because of such gross distributive greedy and unGodly policies.
Disagree with me if you so chose, but view history,your heart and God’s Creed.
The plural of fish is fish. Google it.
Gotcha. Not that we don’t know or won’t miss something once in a while in a normal non academic enviroment.
I know this best,i was and am a trained, over edcuated educator. But thanks for keeping us all on our editing toes.
Phew! Thank God my degree from BVI News is not contingent on…..one paper with one error.
Stop writing and posting before editing.
Me: man i done edit hundreds to thousnads of papers in my life time. Let slide this last days nah? Lol
Dude put the needs of the Business ahead of the needs of the people, TYPICAL!!!
And yet retired politicians are collecting $10,000 per month for doing nothing (based on a 40-hour week this equates to $62.50 per hour).
@simple you want to pay less SS and NAI and expect the same NHI and a lower SS benefits?
I just love all the dreamers! Nobody says upskill, educate yourself, elevate yourself so that you can make more money at a job or even start your own business. All everyone does is f**king complain!!!
you didnt consider nothing when you was being bullied by steve for 220,000 and then went to tourist board for an additional 50,000 and god knows how much more that we dont no about. you are a s**k dude sadly for your two terms and that revised greedy bill you are set so you care ZERO about the people. what a time to live in the BVI
I think the people making this decision should try to live on 7.25 per hour for a month so they can fully grasp the insignificance of what they doing.
UK is bad guysss
We blacks got our backssss
Well more like our friends, family and rich business partners backs lolo
But yea keep help your politicians fight against UK and the police bill just like how you guys fight the greedy bill and coivd grants scandal….. Then there’s Mr Cline scandals lol goes on and on
UK is bad tho!! Don’t forget! We gotta make big drew smile from jail!!
Just chill out and allow our leaders to do their job………… who dont like it could leave via airplanes or by ferry boats
$7.25 wage increase now,with e futher increase coming in the future.It is unbelievable that our Premier would make such a statement. Let’s see what the poles say next election, this is and insult to us.
Can keep that $7.25 per hour rice grains shove it you know where. Why the hell y’all can’t just make it an even $10.00 per hour and call it a day. My dog food budget is more than $7.50 per hour. All of you that is sitting back making these decisions needs to put yourselves on a $7.50 per hour salary for at least 6 months.
Them say UK trying to enslave we but judging from this increase I think our own is the real enslavers….that’s crazy
Plus no price control
Still ain raise the tax exemption brackets
WHEN JULY COMES AROUND IT IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER STORY ABOUT WHAT, WHEN AND WHY.