The Bahamian government has increased the minimum wage by 40%. He warns that employers who refuse to cope with the change will undergo the full extent of the law.
Increasing the amount to $210 per week or $42 per day or $5.25 per hour, the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance and the Minister of Public Service, Shane Gibson said he has signed the Minimum Wages Order to be raised. The new minimum wage will take effect on the 15th of August.
“While we in the government would have liked to have seen it a bit higher, we have accepted the recommendation of the National Tripartite Council and acted accordingly,” Gibson said.
Before coming to a final agreement on the figure for the new national minimum wage, the minister said that he was informed that members of the council “deliberated, agonized and analyzed” data acquired locally and internationally, and compared legislation from several CARICOM member states.
He said that the council would assist with managing the effects of the minimum wage order by monitoring the cost of living anf retail price index, and recommending any further increases where needed. Gibson in the meantime sent a strong warning to businesses that they would be closely watched to ensure that they always comply with the new order or else will face a business transaction law attorney at court.
The Inspectorate Unit of the Department of Labour has also been instructed to implement a comprehensive inspection plan to ensure that there is compliance, and it would aggressively pursue violators who deliberately withhold the increment from hardworking Bahamians.
