Increase minimum wage

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The high prices of goods and services is having a major impact on people who are on minimum wage. This is causing a cycle of poverty, driven by the struggle to afford basic needs like food, housing and healthcare.

The increase in living costs, driven by increasing prices, demands further pay raises. If the compensation doesn’t keep up with escalating costs, minimum wage workers struggle to make ends meet and are forced to take on other jobs or work overtime. Right now, the minimum wage is in the range of $9,000 to $13,000 per week. This should be increased to at least $15,000 or $16,000 per week, which would be sufficient to cover basic needs.

Raising the minimum wage will also help boost the economy through higher consumer spending. However, there are problems with the fact that a minimum wage increase can result in higher prices of goods and services.

Even though the Government has introduced policies including raising the minimum wage and social safety net programmes, to guarantee that people have access to necessities, more work is nonetheless required to help poor people live a comfortable life.

EVERNISHA LEWIS

Northern

Caribbean University