Poor deprived of wage increases

[posted 23 Nov 2010,1300]

The deferral by six months of increases in the wages of the country’s lower paid workers is disappointing news for the poor.

According to an interview given to TV One news on Sunday evening by the chair of the Wages Council Father Kevin Barr, the increases ordered by the interim minister, was put on hold following intervention by the interim Prime Minister. The increases were to be effective from 1st November, after being deferred once before ie. from 1st July to 1st November.

The Fiji Labour Party supports the increases and has criticised its deferment, apparently at the insistence of certain employers, as referred to in Father Barr’s interview.

All the affected workers are paid wages well below the official poverty line. Depriving them of wage increases officially approved by the Wages Council is an act of grave injustice to them.

What is the point in having a machinery to help the poor when the rich are able to manipulate it with the help of the authorities that be?

If we are to alleviate poverty from our midst, then we must ensure the workers are given fair and humane treatment.

Jokapeci Koroi
President