BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – UNITY Leader the Hon. Timothy Harris is contending that the recent increase in the minimum wage in inadequate, especially in the context of the cost of living in the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis.
While delivering an address at the Independence 31 Ceremonial Parade at Warner Park, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas announced that the minimum wage is to be increased. The jump from $320 to $360 is to take effect from November 1, 2014.
In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, Dr. Harris expressed that the sitting government seems to have adopted a “minimum” mentality in more areas that one. He said that mind-set needs to be changed.
He said any measure or effort to bring relief to the workers of the Federation is welcomed by Team Unity but he suggested that rather than focus being placed on a minimum wage increase, focus should be placed on establishing a “liveable wage”.
“Team Unity does not think of our employees in the context of minimum wages but we prefer to think of our employees at least obtaining a liveable wage…The point is that does constitute a liveable wage? Do that allow our people to be able to pay the high rent that they have to pay to NHC? Does the wage allow them to take care of their families to buy adequate food for their nutritional upkeep? Does it allow them to be able to set aside something for the rainy day and to basically treat their families with the kind of care and attention including catering for some form of entertainment by the family unit? And in our view, no.
“So the concept of a minimum seems to be where this government is at; minimum standards for Parliament, minimum standards for the Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Governor General, minimum standard for the vast majority of young people who are unable to find work. There lot appears to be minimum; minimum pay on PEP, now we are hearing about minimum wage.”
Dr. Harris indicated that Team Unit said the use of the lowest standards “keeps the country terribly poor”.
It is therefore no surprise that there is a situation in this country where 33 percent of the population is…poor according to PAHO and all the other research that has been done in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“It is time for the people to share in the prosperity that should be here in St. Kitts and Nevis. It is time for us to set the new platform, a new platform for engagement and for us we have to begin to talk about a liveable wage rather than a minimum wage.”
