Prime Minister Calls Out Businesses For Laying Off Employees Over Minimum Wage Increase 

There are reports that a number of businesses have taken steps to mitigate the effects of the recent adjustments made to the minimum wage. One tortilla factory in Orange Walk recently posted on social media that it would reduce its opening hours to offset the increase in minimum wage. There are reports that some businesses are increasing the cost of goods and services. Back in 2022, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry cautioned G.O.B. that entities will also begin to lay off staff members. We asked the Prime Minister for a comment.

Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“It is unfortunate for those businesses that are doing that and I think they should be called out. For us to raise the minimum wage to five dollars is the least we can do for poorest of the poor, our poor people. For you to try to live with two dollars and thirty cents or two dollars and thirty-five cents an hour I think it is disgraceful. As a country we need to do better.  That is why we have raised the minimum wage to five dollars across the board. When you look at it, it is going to affect I think it is about thirty thousand people that are going to get an increase on salaries. They are going to be earning more money. More money is going to be turned over in the economy and these same businesses are going to be able to have more businesses. So, they will also benefit indirectly.”

Reporter

“And when they begin to cut out staff?”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“That is why I am saying we should call out those people, because they are taking advantage of people because that is not the intention and I am pretty sure they soon will realize that they will have to call them back because they will not be able to provide the level of services that their customers demand. And so, because if you the give me bad service because you don’t want to pay me five dollars an hour, I am going to go somewhere else where I am going to get the necessary service. It is something necessary and the majority of the businesses when we talk to them, most of them were already paying more than five dollars an hour. We have more than a hundred thousand workers in this country and it is only thirty thousand of them. And, even in agriculture, in sugar people are already paying more than five dollars an hour because people are paying based on the work they are doing.  We have to encourage the private sector to help these people. You can’t live pan two dollars and thirty cents an hour.”