While a solution is being sought for social pensions, there will be no indexation of the minimum wage for 2019. Both amounts involved are rather inadequate, but the former regards mostly seniors as well as otherwise disadvantaged residents, and the latter active workers.
This is the second consecutive year without a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the lowest legal salaries. The decision not to grant one in 2018 was understandably taken after the widespread devastation caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, to prevent mass dismissals and enhance job opportunities.
One of the arguments to again withhold such a hike at this time is that the Department of Statistics due to internal reasons failed to produce a 12-month average consumer price index (CPI) indicating the inflation rate last year. However, the same thing goes for social pensions and yet in those cases alternatives are to be explored.
However, the recovery of the local tourism economy is still not stable enough to increase personnel expenses, with many businesses continuing to struggle for their survival. The top priority remains employment.
Things must not be easy for them, but it seems like for now minimum wage earners in St. Maarten will just have to hang on and hope for better days.
