The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS of the National Tripartite Council want to do more research before presenting their recommendation on the minimum wage to the government, the deputy chairman of the body said yesterday.

Labour Director and council chairman Robert Farquharson, however, said the report is in its final stages and will be presented to the government soon.

On March 14, Labour and Immigration Minister Keith Bell said his ministry expected to receive recommendations from the council on an increase in the minimum wage in the next two weeks. That timeline has long since passed.

Asked about the report yesterday, Peter Goudie, deputy chairman of the council, said: “There has been no decision made yet, none, and they want to do some more research so that’s where we stand.”

Asked how much longer the report might take, he said: “I have no idea, I am not on the committee that’s doing it, but I do know that we have not had a final recommendation and they want to do some more work on it. All I can tell you is that nothing has been put forward to the government yet.”

However, Mr Farquharson, the chairman of the tripartite council, indicated the report will be sent to the government soon.

“Let me put it like this, hey,” he said, “the process is in its final stages. As far as the status of the report, whether or not we can comment on the report is a different story … but the process is well underway. I look forward to a final recommendation being sent to the government in the near future. A lot of work has gone into it and that is in its final stages.”

The council’s recommendations will be sent to Cabinet.

Currently, the minimum wage is $210 per week. The Progressive Liberal Party committed to increasing it to $250 per week during last year’s election campaign as well as to examine the creation of a liveable wage.