Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stresses that the minimum wage rates for the 10 sectorial wages councils are much higher than the National Minimum Wage Rate of unskilled workers.
Sayed-Khaiyum has also confirmed in parliament that the enforcement of the review of the National Minimum Wage of $2.68 an hour is already underway.
When asked by SODELPA MP Niko Nawaikula on when can they expect the result of the minimum wage review Sayed-Khaiyum said that the result will come once the review is completed.
SODELPA MP Niko Nawaikula
Meanwhile NFP’s Professor Biman Prasad then said that the last National Minimum Wage does not apply to the 10 sectorial wages councils.
Prasad then asked Sayed-Khaiyum to inform parliament whether the terms of the reference of the review will take into account the wages sectors governed by the wages councils as well so that the National Minimum Wage that is determined is applied to those sectors governed by the wages councils as well.
NFP Leader Biman Prasad
Sayed-Khaiyum says none of the 10 sectorial wages councils have wage rates below $2.68 an hour.
He says Prasad should not confuse the issue with the trainee rate for garment workers.
The Acting Prime Minister stresses that the National Minimum Wage Rate is for unskilled workers.
SODELPA MP Viliame Gavoka
SODELPA MP Viliame Gavoka also raised the issue on considering the $5 an hour National Minimum Rate as proposed by the opposition.
