The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE 

Tribune Chief Reporter 

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said discussions with stakeholders are ongoing regarding a second minimum wage increase this term, prompting criticism from the Free National Movement, which labelled her non-specific commentary as an election ploy to secure votes.

Mrs Glover-Rolle said in July that the government wants to increase the minimum wage again soon.

This announcement surprised some, as she said in November that the government would not support another increase after adjusting the rate in January 2023.

When asked yesterday what prompted the change in the administration’s stance, she replied: “We don’t make things happen immediately. We have to investigate. We have to analyse.

“We have to use data to inform our decisions, and this is the process by which we do that considering a minimum wage increase takes us speaking to the stakeholders.

“The stakeholders are at the table.”

Meanwhile, FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands described the promise as “another ploy to pretend to care”.

He said: “Having taxed most Bahamians mercilessly, the token increase in minimum wage will not make up for the massive increase innerly costs, fuel costs, food costs and everything else in our own uniquely Bahamian cost of living crisis.”

“Business owners are unlikely to be able to afford another wage increase after reeling from the blows of the most anti-business administration in a modern Bahamans.”

Union leaders have expressed a desire for the government to raise the minimum wage to $350 a week, but the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Federation (BCCEC) is uncertain whether businesses would support any increase.

Yesterday, Mrs Glover- Rolle could not say what rate the government would be receptive to and emphasised that decisions must be based on data.