Minimum wage increases approved by GOB

Press Release – DATE: 28^th May, 2012

The general public is hereby advised that the Honourable Senator Godwin Hulse, Minister of Labour, Local Government, Rural Development and National Emergency Management, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 7(6) of the Wages Councils Act, Chapter 302 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000-2003, signed Statutory Instrument No. 55 THE WAGES COUNCIL (WAGES REGULATION) (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) ORDER, 2012 and Statutory Instrument No. 56 WAGES REGULATIONS (MANUAL WORKERS) (AMENDMENT) ORDER, 2012  on the 8^th May, 2012, which has been Gazette on the 26^th May, 2012.

Statutory Instrument No. 55 The Wages Council (Wages Regulation) (Consolidation) (Amendment) ORDER, 2012, provides for:

• Un-skilled workers employed in the citrus industry in cleaning, picking, transporting, processing and handling of citrus for a minimum wage of $3.30 per hour
• For domestic workers employed full-time or part-time from $3.10 – $3.30 an increase of $0.20
• For shop assistance employed full-time or part-time (excluding students who may be employed outside of school hours or during school vacation in premises covered by the shops act) $3.10 – $3.30 an increase of $0.20.

Statutory Instrument No. 56 Wages Regulations (Manual Workers) (Amendment) ORDER, 2012, provides for:

• Manual Workers except for those who are engaged in agriculture, agro-industry or export oriented industries from $3.10 – $3.30 and increase in $0.20.
• Manual Workers engaged in agriculture, agro-industry or export oriented industries from $2.50- $3.30 an increase of       $0.80.

The general public is also reminded that students who may be employed outside of school hours or during school vacation in premises covered by the shops act remains at $3.00 an hour.