NFP Reveals: $5 Wage Rate to Be In Stages
Leader Biman Prasad discloses it in an email exchange with a businesswoman
After months of campaigning for a $5 minimum wage rate, it has been revealed the National Federation Party will implement it in stages. NFP leader Biman Prasad has admitted it will be done in phases – not a direct increase from the current $2.68 an hour to $5 an hour.
Mr Prasad has told a small business owner via email that the NFP does not
plan to have a direct increase.
In fact, this is also highlighted in the published NFP policies, but rarely mentioned by Mr Prasad on any public forum.
In a private email exchange which was sent to the Fiji Sun, Mr Prasad tries to assure the businesswoman that there were no plans for an immediate and direct increase. What NFP plans to do is what FijiFirst has been doing since it introduced the minimum wage rate - by increasing it systematically over a period of time.
The Fiji Sun asked Mr Prasad the following questions:
1. Will the NFP implement the $5 in stages?
2. How much will they start with?
3. When will it be increased to $5?
4. We also received communication you had with a small business owner on the MWR (minimum wage rate), you are talking about it being implemented in phases so it is important people know how much to expect in the first year.
5. What does a phased-in living wage mean?
6. What group of policies will be implemented to support the $5 MWR? Can you please list these policies for our readers? These questions were sent to Mr Prasad last Wednesday. He responded that the deadline of Wednesday afternoon was not fair so Fiji Sun asked him to respond to these queries by midday Saturday. Instead, Mr Prasad accused the journalist of not being objective and insisted on writing an OpinionEditorial instead of responding to the questions.
Fiji Sun offered Mr Prasad a page in the Saturday paper to put forward his views, but also asked that he also treat the questions separately and that he would respond. This is the political column Fiji
Sun offers to all political parties to put forward information on their policies.
Nothing further was heard from Mr Prasad on this matter when this edition went to press.
When $5 an hour not $5 wage?
Mr Prasad has refused to say how much the party will really increase the rate to. He has also refused to clarify how long it will take to increase the ‘living rate’ to $5. Furthermore, he has refused to explain what he means by ‘living wage’ and whether the policies they plan to implement will be taken as part of this wage. He has instead taken to dangling a carrot called the $5 living wage in front of people without going into the details. The exchange between Mr Prasad and a businesswoman reveals his and NFP’s intentions:
-----Original Message----From: Biman [mailto:bcprasad91@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2018 7:02 PM to: ***** @connect.com.fj Subject: $5 at the very least i FT opinion.pdf
Dear ***** ,
See attached article articulating our policy on minimum wages which appeared in the Fiji times. Towards the end I am talking about the package and assuring that small businesses would not be affected.
Regards and thank you for communicating with me Regards
Biman
On 28 Sep 2018, at 19:09, ****** ****** @connect.com.fj> wrote: Dear Mr Prasad,
I was looking forward to reading that policy but you sent me your personal opinion which was published earlier. I do know the difference between policies and personal opinions. Actually I am very disappointed reading your opinion as it has no explanation on how the small businesses will not be affected. You are making a lot of statements but without any policy, explanation or practical solutions the small businesses will face if the minimum wage will be $5. If you don’t have a policy than at > least you can be honest about it.
*****
-----Original Message----From: Biman [mailto:bcprasad91@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2018 7:52 PM
To: *****
Subject: Re: $5 at the very least i FT opinion.pdf
I am sorry you are misreading the party position. The party policy is reflected in our manifesto which is also available on our website.
If you read carefully it says a phased implementation. I sent you the article so you can understand the logic and explanation behind our policy. I respect your view and you are entitled to disagree with the party policy but please don’t accuse us of being dishonest. Many small businesses that I have talked to and who understand our policy are supporting our policy on this. Off course we don’t expect every one to agree with us and we respect that.
Kind regards
Biman
-----Original Message----From: ****** [mailto: ***** @connect.com.fj]
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2018 9:51 PM
To: ‘Biman’
Subject: RE: $5 at the very least FT opinion.pdf
Dear Mr Prasad,
It still doesn’t not explain how it will not affect the small businesses. When I sent you a text on Sunday, you said that your policy explains and that lot of the employers support you with this minimum wage. My question was if these employers support you than why can’t they pay their employees $5 minimum wage anyway. I am not misreading your party position but you are misleading the people by giving statements without backing it with practical solutions. As soon as the minimum wage will increase to $5, the price of the product will increase. If you disagree than back it with proper explanation and not a statement pls. Also if you saying it’s a phased implementation than why mislead the people and say that you will legislate the minimum wage to $5 if you form the government. Why don’t you tell the people of this country that it will be a phased implementation. ******