The government is considering an increase to the national minimum wage but has opted to conduct further consultations before making a final decision, Cabinet officials said following their latest meeting.
The National Minimum Wage Advisory Committee has completed its review of the existing wage framework and submitted recommendations to Cabinet after consultations with stakeholders across several sectors.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said the committee examined proposals to adjust the current minimum wage, which stands at $9 per hour.
“The committee examined the proposal to increase the national minimum wage from nine dollars,” Merchant said during the Cabinet briefing.
However, Cabinet decided not to announce a new rate at this stage and instead opted for additional discussions before any changes are implemented.
“We are not telling you today what the proposed increase is, as the cabinet has determined that there should be some additional consultations and discussions on the proposals in that report,” Merchant said.
Officials said there is broad agreement among stakeholders that the current wage level no longer reflects the realities of the economy.
“There was broad recognition by the committee and by the cabinet that the current rate is outdated,” Merchant said, noting that the cost of living has risen significantly since the $9 minimum wage was introduced.
At the same time, Cabinet is considering the potential impact of any increase on businesses, particularly smaller employers.
Merchant said one of the key concerns is the size and pace of a potential increase. “In particular, to introduce that one fell swoop may be a bit much,” he said, explaining that a phased implementation could allow businesses time to adjust.
The advisory committee has suggested that any increase be introduced gradually over several years.
“One of the recommendations is like a four-year phased implementation period,” Merchant said, adding that the adjustment could be structured over an extended period to ease the transition for employers.
Cabinet is expected to continue consultations with stakeholders before determining the final structure and timeline for any change to the national minimum wage.
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And then tell again to antiguans abroad to come back!!! not even 3 freaking euros per hour AND THEY NEED TO DISCUSS ABOUT IT! Yeah, if we come back we would BURN THE PLACE TO THE GROUND!!
Politicians should be payed minimum wage
Notice they put the people as lesser priority and themselves first, Gaston raised their parliamentary salaries as politicians, but the people! Gaston say he have to weight that to see if you deserve anything.
@Young Antiguan Communist We don’t agree on much but that is an excellent idea. You gotta give them some incentive though. So link there salary to the national debt. The nominal debt. Not the debt to GDP. If the debt increases then no pay. If it decreases then their salary increases by the same percentage as the debt reduction.
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