National minimum wage increasing to $9,000 a week
Labour Minister Karl Samuda has announced a 28.5 per cent increase in the national minimum wage.
Effective April 1, 2022, it will move from $7,000 per 40-hour workweek to $9,000.
The rate for industrial security guards will move up from $9,700 per week to $10,500.
Several other rates for security guards will also increase.
This morning's announcement by Samuda at a virtual press conference comes in the wake of inflation reaching a new high of 9.7 per cent for the annual period ending January.
The increase has been attributed to sharp increases in food prices.
There have been calls in recent weeks for an increase to the country's minimum wage, with some business leaders suggesting a 30 per cent increase.
An increase to the minimum wage was last implemented in 2018.
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