Minimum Wage task force looking for fair new level

Friday, 08 September 2006, The Reporter

The Belize Labour Department announced this week the Belize Minimum Wages Council will commence its field work with visits to workplaces around the country, holding discussions with empl-oyers, workers, and selected members of the public to prepare a minimum wage package for the country.

The nine-member Council, made up of an equal number of employers, workers, and government representatives, was appointed by Minister of Labour Francis Fonseca to undertake a revision of all minimum wages, and to determine whether there should be one rate for all categories.

The Council will complete regulation proposals and recommendations to the minister by the end of December 2006.

Carlos Santos is the Chairman of the Council.

In arriving at its recommendations, the Council must take into account:

* The needs of workers and their families

* The general level of wages in the country

* The cost of living

* Social Security benefits

* Living standards as these relate to the various social groups, and other economic factors, such as:

• investment climate

• competitiveness

• level of productivity

• employers’ capacity to pay, etc.

The field work will validate, through personal conversations and discussions with employers and workers, information gathered from the available statistics and will enable the Council to see first-hand the various workplaces and the conditions under which people are working.

The Council has held discussions with the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Business Bureau. It will also dialogue with the various trade unions, the Women’s Issues Network and conduct one-on-one meetings with domestic workers, shop assistants, agricultural field workers, and other non-unionized and vulnerable sections of the population.

The last minimum wage adjustment was in 2002. At that revision shop assistants and domestic helpers were to be paid at least $2.25 an hour or $20.00 for an 8-hour day. Students and manual workers employed in agriculture, agro-industry or export-oriented industries were to be paid at least $2.00 an hour or $16.00 for an 8 hour day.

The Council invites the cooperation of all employers, workers, and the public in helping to arrive at fair, just, and equitable recommendations in the interest of Belize.

Once again the heavy-duty work not requiring any educational skills has a lower proposed pay scale. The class system is alive and well.

So let me see, a surly young store worker who cannot add without a calculator and sits there gabbing on their cell phone while giving you the bum's rush gets more money than someone cutting cane, carrying buckets of cement or filling in potholes?

What currency is that in Marty? Local or gringo.

Those hardworking guys that carry buckets of cement usually get paid for their production...not by the hour. Its amazing to see how fast these buildings go up.

maybe where u are...(hic)....i know that these guys get paid about BZ twenty five bucks a day...Would u do that job for THAT wage?

Doubtful...we are the upper class and the rest are peons...

"We are not peasants...we are an antonomous collective"....Python

I would not be interested in laboring for any amount of compensation...my work days are over!! The real issue is this...if the worker had a better opportunity...he would find it. While the compensation on Ambergris Caye may NOT be up to "gringo" standards...people come to find work in San Pedro from all corners of Central America. I have many friends who have arrived in San Pedro with nothing...and after several years of hardwork...they have a little place to call home, a good bicyle, children in school, and a lot of pride. San Pedro IS the land of opportunity in Central America!!! PS. Think as a peon...be a peon.

BILL YOUR ON FIRE ,YOU ARE THE MAN SOOOOOOOOOO WELL PUT.IT IS WHAT IT IS .

I cannot belive that a a country so invested in tourism pays such "third world factor worker" wages!!...GOB...Iam sure must have many supporters(NOT)

The question is this Bill...would you settle for that - the bicycle, the little house? It is not a question of someone thinking as a peon it is a matter of where they are stuck in the class structure.

I grew up in a hardworking middle class family...not in a getto or Blue Bloodville. We all should play well the cards which have been dealt. Some, unfortunately, can not!!! Some resort to crime, others to the bottle or pot. The secret is not settling for ones station in life...but, being grateful for what one has and working hard for ones goals. The answer can not be found at the bottom of the glass...just the problem.

And what exactly does that have to do with equitable wages? This is not about Americans...this is about Belizeans. Belizeans, many of whom, work very hard for little pay...like the person who most likely cleans your house?

Notice I said "most likely" please.

Having what you want -vs- wanting what you have?

Bike along the Caribbean's edge to work, live in a humble little home within a few blocks to the beach, watch your children walk to school, enjoy home cooked meals and some of the best rum in the world on the weekends. (longs for the American dream)

-vs-

Preheat/cool your car and sit in traffic every day, pay a huge mortgage cause' you gotta be in a good neighborhood, watch your kids go through metal detectors in school, enjoy super sizing it for meals. (dreams of retiring in paradise)

Nobody is paid minimum wage on this island. Other parts of Belize are much more affodable as well. My friends pay $250BZ/month for a nice two bedroom home in Cayo.

Is the US minimum wage to high? Why so many illegal workers then?

SIN

the US minimum wage varies from state to state....try living on it sometime....yes illegals flock to the states because it is still more money than what they can make at home.

Blame your illegal alien situation on greedy business folks who do not mind paying "under the table" in order to save on payroll taxes etc....

Belize needs wage definitions...

Which would be most beneficial...10 jobs at $5 per hour or 0 jobs at $10 an hour.

Agree with you Bill.

An American was watching a man fishing in San Pedro early in the morning. The man caught a few fish, and took them to shore to clean. The American walked up to the fisherman and started speaking with him. "How do you like fishing? You seem to have a great ability to finding the fish". The Fisherman stated" I love to fish. I can come out in the morning, watch the sun come up over the beautiful water, then I clean my fish and go home in time to enjoy breakfast with my lovely wife, and walk with my children to school. Life is pretty good, I'd think."
The American said to the man, "Well, if you bought a boat, you could go out further and catch many more fish, and sell them to the Americans and locals, and make more money." The fisherman asked, "then what would I do?" The American said "you could make enough money to do anything you wanted to do, if you worked hard enough." The Fisherman replied "Sir, I think I'm already there."
I agree with SIN...I always think of not getting what you want, but wanting what you have when people start raving about what they have. Seems we make our lives a lot harder than they need to be.

MBA's with marketing degrees. I don't need anything really until I walk into the mall and then I realize how much I'm missing!

SIN