Some mothers attempted suicide during the Christmas period last year due to high levels of stress – Kuruleca

Renowned psychotherapist, Selina Kuruleca reveals she had to deal with some major mental health issues during the Christmas period last year as families did not have enough and there was high levels of stress.

Kuruleca says in some cases mothers had attempted suicide.

She revealed this while speaking during the Virtual Apprenticeship Session organised by FNU’s National Training and Productivity Centre.

Kuruleca says she is also strongly supporting the move to increase the national minimum wage rate.

She says this will ensure people will be able to sustain themselves and make the basic needs for their families.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation, Kameli Batiweti says they strongly agree there has to be an increase in the national minimum wage rate and what the private sector would like to see as an outcome is the productivity level of employees.

Batiweti says the employers have agreed there needs to be an increase in the national minimum wage rate of $2.68.

He says the private sector would also be happy if there is a shift in the wage rate for apprentices because the current rate is not sufficient to motivate them.

Batiweti says there are some organisations who are paying above the minimum apprenticeship rate.

According to the Labour Standards Services of the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Industrial Relations, apprentices get $61.50 weekly allowance in the hotel industry while companies in other industries can decide the allowance themselves for their apprentices.