After the Government, through the Fiji Parliament, awarded itself substantial pay increases, with members of parliament (MPs) receiving a 100 percent pay rise (increase from $50,000 to $100,000) not mentioning the other allowances, I urge Government, in the interest of honesty, fair play, and justice, that
the national minimum wage review should be stopped at once.
Instead, the Government, in consultation with relevant agencies (including the trade unions) should immediately determine and implement one single national minimum living wage.
The work should not be difficult and should therefore take only a matter of days.
The reason being, the minimum benchmark has already been established (by our parliament and Government’s recent pay award), and not less than 100 per cent increase is to be awarded.
In fairness to employers who may not be able to afford the new living wage, Government should affirm that employers may apply for Government subsidies, subject to clearly established guidelines and criteria.
Last but not the least, Government should now call up all the Public Service Unions and immediately resolve all outstanding pay negotiations.
Just like the national minimum wage review, there is now totally no justification in delaying these under one pretext or another given the recent substantial parliament pay hike.
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