Despite a last minute appeal by the business sector, Labour Minister, Colin Jordan, says government will not delay an increase of the national minimum wage which takes effect tomorrow.
He says there were extensive consultations with stakeholders, and the issues being raised including the timing and the dollar amount were fully ventilated by the National Minimum Wage Board chaired by Professor Vilmore Alleyne of the University of the West Indies.
Mr. Jordan tells Starcom Network News that having received reports from that Board and a Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee, headed by Sir David Simmons, April 1st seemed very feasible.
The Democratic Labour Party has voiced support for the hike in the minimum wage.
However, the party’s spokesman on labour matters, Courie Cox, says that while they support the increase government also needs to take action to protect the jobs of workers.
There’s also support for the measure from former President of the Barbados Economics Society, Jeremy Stephen.
Speaking on VOB’s Brass Tacks call-in program, Mr. Stephen said the hike is about ensuring people have a wage on which they can survive and also that they have an incentive to actually go out and work.
