Ritika Pratap 
Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation Edward Bernard
The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation has welcomed the government’s announcement not to increase minimum wage in the near future.
Chief Executive Edward Bernard says this will definitely and immediately generate more confidence within the private sector and with potential investors.
Bernard says this announcement allows businesses to plan their next financial year with more certainty and relook at their investment and human resource plans that were on hold.
Bernard adds that in April this year, minimum wage had increased by 25 per cent and in the last five years by more than 80 per cent.
He states that while wage rates have stagnated against the increasing cost of living, businesses of all sizes and in all sectors are also faced with the increasing cost of doing business.
Applauding the Government’s budget, Bernard says the reduction in VAT by 2.5 per cent and reduction in bus fares by 10 per cent will reduce the cost of living and traveling to work for many workers.
He states that employers also pay for free private medical doctors, through the one per cent FNU levy, that workers are also accessing to support their medical costs.
Bernard says that in addition to that, the increase in remittance of $1.5 billion has also generally increased household income.
He states that moving forward, it is imperative that FCEF and the Fiji Trades Union Congress works together, through the Employment Relations Advisory Board and the 10 Wages Councils, to ensure that there is an equitable process and formula when reviewing national and sector-based wage rates.
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