BPSU president recently called the proposed increase amount “total rubbish”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Notwithstanding significant borrowing in the upcoming budget to cover the government’s expenses, Prime Minister Philip Davis announced yesterday that minimum wage will be increased this year with funds already allotted for the first incremental increase, though he did not provide the figure.
The increase in the minimum wage is hoped to soften the impact of the “global inflation crisis’ that has been felt across the globe and domestically.
“We also believe that the rate of minimum wage needs to increase because of the general erosion of spending power of ordinary Bahamians — an imperative which has been made more urgent by the current level of inflation,” Davis said during the budget communication in Parliament.
“To this end, we have submitted the proposal to BPSU (Bahamas Public Service Union) to increase minimum wage in the public sector with incremental increases starting in July 2022.
“We have also engaged union leadership on the issue of a contributory pension plan.
“Contrary to popular belief, a significant portion of the public service workforce has no pension.
“This is simply untenable and we hope that our partners in the labor movement share our view and seek to correct this anomaly within this fiscal period.”
When asked for specifics on the increase on the sidelines of a Local Government event at Breezes, the prime minister said: “We have an idea what the figure is.
“We have made an allotment for it in the budget, but we cannot decide what this is until we have an agreement with the unions. We want them to know that the money has been allotted.
“We just need to sit down now and agree and we are incrementally moving the minimum wage towards a livable wage over the next five years. We will start in July and then move on from there.”
In a recent interview with BPSU President Kimsley Ferguson said the union received a proposal for a minimum wage to be increased incrementally “arriving at some $13,000 per annum”.
To that, he said: “Workers in this country don’t need minimum wage.
“They need a livable wage. They need a wage that they can be paid where they can survive.
“Too many people today are actually having to make a decision on whether the rent is going to be paid or whether their children are going to be able to eat. That is not a very good position for any provider to be in.
“It is deficient to a great extent when we find ourselves in that position as a country where family members have to make such choices, and so we are very, very concerned that we have been hearing a lot of excuses. It is not acceptable from where we sit.”
The union president labeled the minimum wage proposal as “total rubbish”.
“I know that the proposal that was given in my view, it was total rubbish,” he added.
“You cannot give people or appear to give people what they are entitled to.
“You cannot give me what belongs to me because it belongs to me.
“…We are sitting patiently and awaiting the government to give us a counter-proposal to the proposal that we gave on behalf of public servants and a number of entities that we represent.”
