The Government of The Bahamas will implement an increase in the minimum wage before the end of 2022.
This was confirmed by Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis, who declared that the new minimum wage will be based on the findings of the National Tripartite Council, which is a body made up of representatives of the government, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce & Employers’ Confederation, the National Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Trade Union Congress.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE COMPLETED BY YEAREND
According to Halkitis, the recommendations of the council should be completed and ready for the implementation of an increase in the country’s minimum wage before the end of the year. Currently, the private sector minimum wage is $210, while the public sector minimum wage is $225.
This is expected to increase to $250.
The minister said the increases could be timed to coincide with the hotels’ high winter season when income is strongest.
However, the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) is making a case for the hospitality sector that gratuities be rolled into the minimum wage for the sector.
BHTA President Robert ‘Sandy’ Sands argued that, while the hospitality sector pays minimum wage in some instances, employees also collect gratuities.
Halkitis said he would take the issue of gratuities to the tripartite council to see if they would take the matter into consideration.
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