Any changes to the minimum wage rate will affect our SMEs – Lockington

The CEO of the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, Fantasha Lockington is calling on the government to re-look at the national minimum wage before approving any changes which will have a drastic impact on small and medium-sized enterprises.

With the Fiji Trades Union Congress calling for the national minimum wage rate to start at $6 per hour, Lockington says the Government should first look at the sectoral wages as different sectors are already paying higher rates than the minimum wage rate of $4.

She says any increase in the minimum wage rate will definitely affect our SMEs as they won’t be able to afford the increase.

She adds that SMEs make up quite a large percentage of the country’s workforce, and they should be protected.

While launching the FTUC National Minimum Wage campaign during their 50th Biennial Delegates Conference in Nadi last month, the Union had called on the government to increase the national minimum wage to $6 per hour.

The current national minimum wage is $4 per hour.

Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh confirms that the new wage rate will be effective from the 1st of August 2024, which will be announced in the budget address by the Minister for Finance.

The budget address will be delivered at 10am on Friday June 28th.