Parliamentarian Ismail Ahmed has stated the minimum wage committee has discussed setting rates based on the industries, as preparations are underway to draft the Minimum Wage Bill. He further said parliamentarians do not carry the idea of setting a different rate for different sectors. He also said the locals and the expatriates would also be allocated the same minimum wage rates on similar jobs.
However, the parliamentarian said the best approach is allocating the minimum pay based on employment sectors. He also discussed the economic impact of a Minimum Wage Bill on Maldives in the long run, should careful planning and thinking is not brought forward in drafting the bill.
The parliamentarian said a Minimum Wage Bill is essential to ensure the rights of employees. He explained although many employees are working day and night, the culture in Maldives enables the rich to get richer. He expects the culture to change with the introduction of the bill, allowing employees to earn a more justified wages based on their work, preventing employers from exploiting their employees.
Establishing a minimum wage is an electoral pledge of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The government expects to ratify the bill at the beginning of next year.
Some believe the minimum wage rate shall only be set for locals while the inclusion of expatriates in the bill should not require the government and other private sector employers to pay expatriates a salary an employer cannot bear.