EDITOR, The Tribune.

I would like to thank Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis for increasing the minimum wage from $210 to $260. This is something that the Free National Movement should’ve done after increasing VAT from 7.5 percent to 12 percent. In an age of inflation and VAT on breadbasket items, the extra $50 is a much-needed help.

However, despite the increase not coming into effect in the private sector until January 2023, I understand that there are some bosses who are already putting measures in place to circumvent the increase, such as cutting hours.

One lady at a large firm informed me that her bosses are already crying “poor mouth” over the mandatory increase, despite being millionaires. These are women and men in their forties and fifties earning $210 per week or $5.25 an hour - pittance. I think it is the height of arrogance and insensitivity to rail at these Bahamians for not having a college degree.

The truth is, not every individual is afforded the same opportunities as the privileged. $210 can hardly buy sufficient groceries to feed a family of five, let alone pay rent and the utilities.

Families are having to decide which bill to pay and which grocery item they can do without.

I think the onus is now on the Davis government to counter the inevitable move by cheap bosses to avoid paying the $260, otherwise minimum waged workers will not benefit from the additional $50 the state has granted to them. The aforementioned firm can afford to pay the $260. The issue is its ownership, possibly a miserly Scrooge who lacks conscience.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahama

November 1, 2022.