MINIMUM WAGE OVERSEAS LUCRATIVE THAN HIGHLY PAID LOCAL JOB
BY GEORGINA KEKEA
WORKERS in Solomon Islands receive one
of the lowest wages in the world. Since 2008, the minimum wage in Solomon
Islands has remained the same.
The current rate is SBD$4 per hour for
all workers except those working in the fishing and agricultural sector. They receive
SBD$3.20 per hour.
In comparison to other countries, the
yearly minimum wage for Solomon Islands is USD$1,005 in International Currency.
International currency is a measure of
currency based on the value of the United States dollar in 2009.
With this comparison, Solomon Islands
sits in the bottom percent of all countries based on the yearly minimum wage
rate.
“There are 99 countries with a higher
minimum wage then in Solomon Islands,” Minimum-Wage.org reports.
While workers in Solomon Islands are
struggling to cope with the high cost of living, government on the other hand
is prioritizing labour mobility as a way to send Solomon Islanders overseas to
earn so called, lucrative money.
In Australia, the minimum wage rate is
AUD$17.70 per hour, an estimated SBD$100 per hour. This is 25 times greater
than the wages earned in Solomon Islands.
In recent interviews with seasonal
workers, most alluded that money earned in labour mobility is way better than
what they earn working in Solomon Islands.
While the focus for labour mobility
scheme is on unemployed youths, in some cases, skilled workers including
professionals also left their job to sign up for the seasonal workers scheme.
“I go to school, I spent years in
education to attain a diploma or degree in my profession, I come back to serve
my country, earning less than SBD$2000 a fortnight, who wouldn’t want to go to
Australia or New Zealand to earn more in their minimum wage than what we are
earning in ours,” a professional employee in Solomon Islands say.
Even the Prime Minister attributed the
fact that seasonal workers are being paid more than him and there is nothing
much the government can do about this scenario.
He said this is not in government’s
best interest yet as they are currently focusing on the labour mobility
schemes.
Pacific men working in paddocks (Photo supplied) |
“Let’s do one thing at a time. You
can’t try and do everything at a time. Otherwise you’ll clog it out,” Hou said
in response to a question raised during a Press Conference on the
Labour Mobility scheme.
Prime Minister Rick Hou in the recent
Pacific Labour Mobility Meeting revealed that he wants government to send at
least 10,000 youths overseas within the next 10 years.
He said population in Solomon Islands
is at a 2.6 percent growth rate and the economy is not producing job
opportunities for the unemployed thus it is important government address this
issue now by sending workers overseas as labourers.
Meanwhile, the employed and
professionals in Solomon Islands are said to be the ones left behind in the
labour market.
While the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) speaks of leaving no-one behind, with SDG 8 promoting productive employment
and decent work for all, the future seems brighter for those toiling the fields
in foreign countries, than educated professionals in their own country.
Contrary to what the PM said, Commerce
Minister, William Marau says, his Ministry is aware of the need for the
increase in wages and salary and decent employment for workers in Solomon
Islands.
He said since the beginning of 2018, consultations
are being carried out with major industries to get feedback from the
organizations because it will impact greatly on their businesses.
“Slowly and surely, we are getting
there,” he said.
PM Hou with seasonal workers |
At the same time, Unionist, David
Tuhanuku says it is a bad reflection of the government to forgo the minimum
wage increase for 10 years now.
He said the issue of legal minimum wage
should be addressed by government through the Labour department with relevant
institutions like trade union movements involved in the process.
He said in the course of 10 years, cost
of living has changed and government through the labour department should have
addressed this issue already.
“All I can say, if the labour
department embark on this now, the trade union movements will then be able to
participate in this process,” Tuhanuku said.
He said legal minimum wage is important
as it set the basis for worker’s wages.
He said it is very important government
reviews this, particularly for the low paid workers.
Tuhanuku is the President of Solomon
Islands Council of Trade Union (SICTU) as well as President of the Workers
Union of Solomon Islands (WUSI). His Associations had been vocal in labour
rights issues for many years including admonition of the tax free awards for
MPs in 2016.
For likeminded workers in Solomon
Islands, Minimum Wage is the lowest
amount a worker can be legally paid for his or her work.
No worker in Solomon Islands
can be paid less then this mandatory minimum rate of pay. Employers in Solomon
Islands who fail to pay the Minimum Wage may be subject to punishment by
Solomon Islands' government.
Currently it is understood that a
proposed Minimum wage policy is said to be in the making.
The minimum wage policy will set the
framework for minimum wage in Solomon Islands.
Furthermore SBD$8 is said to be the
proposed minimum wage under review.
ENDS///
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