Saint Lucia About To Implement Historic Minimum Wage

6.50 shame on you

Lucians I am waiting for your comments…

Allyuh real take lucians fi dimwits….di average man still ah bawl with this pretentious gesture by this labour government,these guys are flumming ppl for their votes….as my salary is way better off than this I hope my boss and their company don’t go deducting on my salary to suit this gimmick minimum wage.

I am happy for the thousands of the working poor who has been working for wages as low as 3 to 5 EC an hour which is in my opinion is a crime against humanity. How can you have big businesses that are expanding every year exploit our people especially in the hotel industry and security why should a young man risk his life working as a security guard for 3 dollars an hour working 12 to 18 hour shifts and at the end of the fortnight takes home to his family 300 dollars he has his rent to pay , children to send to school , utilities bills , and food to put on his table whiles the oppressors are getting rich buying land and houses all over the island . Thou 6:50 an hour may not seem much but then again thousands of the working poor will see an increase in their wages to provide for their families….

Shame on the employers who are paying 13000 people less than $52/day. Let’s hope the minister has a plan to raise that $6.50/hr with the rise of inflation.

let’s see how many business will say, “Thank God!” “We finally have a reason to pay them less.”

$6,50 an hour is an insult to the workers of St Lucia. $250 lucelec, $200 wasco, bus fare must be paid it all depends on your route$150 minimum. How can we eat a balanced meal?

When these So called S&s Remove tax from these Workers Salaries its back to Square one .The Business Establishments will be making More Profits because the prices will be increase.

Compare this to the minimum wage for St Kitts who is much better off than we are with 1/3 of our population and a higher Expatriate percentage. How about Antigua where the cost of living is much higher than St. Lucia. This minimum wage will be a relief to the 30% of the population who have been working for 600 to 800 p/m for years.

I think businesses will fire some staff and prices on goods and services will increase. That’s why I rather be self employed, I work for myself, make my price . I not working for no one by hourly pay. Pay me for the job and that’s it.

Nine business days for the public to send comments about this proposal after the commission has deliberated apparently privately for two years, and with implementation set in two months. What is the point of asking for comments at the end when the decision has already been made?

At least the P M is realizing the wages are the main issues that are keeping us back,.
People must be paid by the hours of work and not Monthly..
8 Hours each Shift
Overtime after 8 hours of work
Get paid weekly and not Monthly..
A decent living wage not less than $11+ per hour.
We need to give the weakest link some spending Power…let’s eradicate the poor mentality of the System..
Good observations P M

I gave a quick 5-minute study of the situation, and I think the $6.50 is a good start for now. I will suggest adding a review period in the legislation. Here’s why:

By the way, there are so many good arguments for and against the minimum wage. I don’t think any argument is better than the other because so much relies on context. But the wage commission did a good thing by suggesting a $6.50 minimum wage.

Two quick upsides:

(1) The 13,000 people will get closer to a livable wage,

(2) The 13,000 people are more likely to spend that money on consumables, so if you are a business owner, you are more likely to see sales improve, and so will the general economy. Highly unlikely that these people will put that money in a savings account.

Two quick downsides:

(1) Some employers will have higher costs of doing business. I heard a lady from the baker’s association already counting the cost, which was not in her favor. If there are no job cuts, hiring will be reduced; thus, the national unemployment rate will drop (I am sure the commission figured that out, too). They can also reduce workers from 8-hour days to 7 hours, which could see businesses closing earlier and not opening on weekends for hourly-paid workers. You may also see more half-day roles. Also, special contractual roles where one is paid a large pot for services rendered like a contractor.

(2) The minimum wage is an inflationary pressure. What do most businesses do when they encounter inflationary pressures? They pass it on to customers. You may see prices rise. Competition may be good here, but I don’t think Lucia’s business competes in that way.

I don’t know any country in the world that first introduced a minimum wage and started at a figure that everyone liked—it is virtually impossible. But like I said, I see what the commission was thinking, and I like the starting figure. They are curing a problem – 13,000 people who make less than $6.50 an hour.

As I said, the legislation should include a review every five years or something like that! In my state, they moved the minimum wage from $10 to $15, but over five years, adding $1 each year.

Yeeeeea another GREAT RED INITIATIVE a government elected by the people and is WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE. Of course Yellow Bad mind Johncrows are doing what they do best foaming at the mouth and chocking on this initiative there there there you fools suck it up cry a river….my I suggest Andy William’s for your ass, Moon River blah blah blah blah, Nugester/ Oh Really I will pass the Kleenex blow your nose there, there, there. Forever the workin poor of this nation as endured a low cost of living and exploitation by employers who have relish in wealth at the cost of cheap/cheaper labor of our citizens and a lack of a set minimum wage, this wage “is a start” NOT AN INSULT, We have been insulted long enough and those working for peanuts (the majority of the population) rightfully deserves this. As time passes respective governments can increase the minimum wage to uplift the citizens instead of promising them mirage investments trickled down economics here my dear I present to you Dubai. We are a small nation with a small economy we have to maintain a balance to attract investors and for current employers to make sound tangible budgetary trajectories that will not impede on the growth of the economy. The government must make clear guidelines on August 1st in retrospect to the adherence of the new set standards of minimum wage without delay or exceptions there will be those who will refuse cuts to their monthly bottom line and continue business as usual they should be prosecuted.

The sad reality is that we don’t even have a functioning Labour Department to apply the law. No one can get justice when they keep making all kinds of excuses and delaying (denying) justice for the pass three years. Shane on them.

@DougLewis – you are the fly on my wall. your views are my exact sentiments.
Also – there does not seem to be “categories” of workers to benefit from this “minimum wage” deal. This would be interesting.

While my opinion is that this minimum wage should be a little higher, $1126 a monthly should have 0 income tax on it since the tax allowance is $25000 yearly.

Maybe this paltry minimum wage would make sense if you had a wide manufacturing sector serving your domestic population. But it seems to me that the country depends mostly on imported goods coming from places where wages are many times your own. So this minimum wage may help the poor, but it’s not going to make much of a dent in the wide chasm between the cost of imported goods and the comparatively low per capita income in St. Lucia. Families are going to continue to depend on a worker who has moved to a developed economy, is working for first world wages, and is sending home remittances to pay for imported manufactured goods. There is a huge disconnect between local wages and the cost of imported goods and this new minimum wage will barely make a dent in that.

Shame government dont pay some employees 6 a day ,some government employees dont even get 1000 a month so what nonsense is that . Government remove the wax from your eyes before you look at business places tan S and paying better than you ( from a government worker)

@Lowgrade Lucian, please do not confuse me with that fool nudge. You must be really ignorant if you cannot tell the difference between nudge’s writing style and mine. Lastly, one good deed does not replace a whole box of wrongs, and when it comes to lack of transparency in your party’s government, the people find out about the details of this bill last minute.

@ Oh Really…..it’s just that oh really and what “box of wrongs” are you implying ?? Well you know as the song goes if loving is wrong I don’t wanna be right and there has been plenty this government has bone right but the yellow jaundice as clouded your vision and mental capacity permanently so there is little hope for you. Your penmanship and John Hancock is only invisible to the untrained eyes you gray balls fool, never to the sophistication of Saint Lucian Highgrade.

I am in support of this minimum wage, though I think it could have been at least $8.00. However I would like the government to know that charity begins at home. The janitors and security officers working for the government are paid between $3.00 and $4.00 an hour. Will these workers salary increase to the $6.50 an hour before the legislation is passed. I also foresee a lot of retrenchment in some small businesses and even larger ones like S&S and Massy.

You all think private sector employment is obligated to this? Get you all sit together!

Disturbed :
Many are the friends of the wicked and oppressors over the helpless people !
Cast off restraint and refrain which they deserved more !
Thank God and be courageous !
This is the sort of errors rises from the leaders, rulers, officials…except the late Sir Hon..MJC though was.. but treat every slave accordingly..
On behalf of the slaves pleading to God and summon to give me a hearing on the behalf of the slaves, pleading with my Judge for ⚖️ justice, what is due to them..
O I will sing of your love ❤️ and justice ⚖️ to you O LORD,
I will sing praise to you O LORD !
The summer has gone, the winter has come,donkeys years are not over and yet we are not SAVED !!!!!!

Dear commenter (s)
The employees rights were sold by the labour representives after the absence of the late Sir Hon JMC..

Sold for white rum and a few pennies or pocket change rather..
There was one who likes white rum more than his wives and maiden..
Consider the hotel employees who looses their daily bread, which was their only source of living,no one represent them.. coconut bay resort..
no one represent them and the list goes on