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What’s the big secret on NIB rate increase?

BAHAMIAN businesses are urging the Government to reveal the magnitude of July’s impending National Insurance Board (NIB) rate increase, with one asking: “What’s the big secret?”

Drug lure: 50% of school leavers lacking diploma

"A significant" number of young Bahamians are being lured into the drug trade as 50 percent of high school leavers graduate without even a diploma, a policy document is asserting.

Chamber seeks ILO liveable wage advice

The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) was yesterday said to have sought the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) help to define what a livable wage is.

'Hanging' no longer: PM affirms NIB rate increase

Private sector executives last night voiced relief that The Bahamas is no longer "hanging on this thing" after the Prime Minister confirmed a National Insurance Board (NIB) contribution rate increase will be implemented on July 1, 2024.

Apprenticeship Act overhaul for school leaver skills boost

Efforts are underway to overhaul The Bahamas’ apprenticeship legislation by modernising it for the 21st century and ensuring school leavers graduate with employable skills that are properly certified.

Gov’t ‘not just dictating’ over work permit policy

The Chamber of Commerce’s labour division chair has hailed that the Government is “not just dictating” over plans to develop a national policy to govern the issuance of work permits in The Bahamas.

Union leader targets liveable wage talks within two years

A trade union leader’s call for livable wage talks to begin by 2025 was yesterday met with scepticism by private sector representatives who argued that such a move will “only put businesses further under”.

‘Future generations and youth let down’ over NIB

The National Insurance Board (NIB) must be given more independence from government, a pension specialist urged yesterday, adding: “Successive administrations have let the youth and successor generations down.”

Bahamas urged to ‘get serious on education fix’

The Bahamas was yesterday urged “to get serious about fixing” its long-standing education crisis amid private sector fears that it will continue to undermine workforce productivity and economic competitiveness.

‘Liveable wage will just have to wait’

The business community is waiting on the government to ratify their recommendations on the minimum wage and says that discussions on a liveable wage cannot be had until the minimum wage is “out of the way”.

NIB rate hikes ‘totally impossible’ to absorb

Bahamian businesses have warned it is “absolutely impossible” to absorb the contribution rate increases required to save the National Insurance Board (NIB), adding: “The can’s been kicked to pieces at this point.”

Minimum wage proposal to Gov’t ‘within a month’

Recommendations on a minimum wage increase could be submitted to government “within a month”, Tribune Business was told yesterday, although a liveable version is “way down the road”.

‘Scared’ by livable wage uncertainty

A Chamber of Commerce director yesterday questioned how The Bahamas will be able to afford the Government’s planned “livable wage” phase-in and VAT cut, saying: “That scares me.”

Companies urged: ‘Follow law’ on COVID-19 testing

The Chamber of Commerce’s labour specialist yesterday urged all Bahamian employers to “follow the law” and not force unvaccinated workers to pay for their weekly COVID tests until the matter was resolved.

No minimum wage increase without NTC decision, says Commerce director

A Chamber of Commerce director said no increase to the minimum wage should happen unless it comes through the National Tripartite Council (NTC).

Employer liable to pay COVID test fees

The National Tripartite Council’s vice-chairman yesterday warned “a lot of employers are going to be very upset” to find they cannot mandate non-vaccinated staff pay for their own weekly COVID-19 tests.

‘No way on God’s earth’ is livable wage $2,625

The National Tripartite Council’s vice-chair yesterday blasted “there’s no way on God’s green earth” that Nassau’s monthly living wage is $2,625 as unions hailed the finding as vindicating their stance.

Unemployment extension hailed by labour specialist

THE extension of unemployment benefits by the government has been hailed as “fantastic” by a senior businessman who believes it will help stave off redundancies for many furloughed workers.

Govt told: Productivity must be ‘top priority’

The government was yesterday urged to make creation of a National Productivity Council “top priority” in its efforts to “get the country up and running again” following COVID-19’s devastation.

PLP's minimum wage hike 'economic suicide'

The Progressive Liberal Party's (PLP) plan to increase the minimum wage by $40 per week was yesterday branded "economic suicide" by the private sector's top labour specialist.

Union: Atlantis 'threw deal out the window'

The Government was yesterday urged to extend the COVID-19 temporary worker furlough beyond end-February as the hotel union accused Atlantis of "throwing our industrial agreement out the window".

'Make a deal' on temporary lay-off end before too late

Employers, trade unions and the Government are being urged to "make some kind of deal" to avoid the pitfalls and uncertainty that could occur when the temporary lay-off period finishes at month's end.

Extend jobless benefits to 26 weeks, govt told

The Chamber of Commerce’s labour specialist yesterday urged the government to extend unemployment benefits to 26 weeks to prevent companies from having to terminate workers. Peter Goudie told Tribune Business he was “very hopeful” that the Minnis ad

Labour specialist: to discuss 'good understudy ideas'

The Chamber of Commerce’s top workforce specialist yesterday said he plans to discuss “some good ideas” for solving the government’s understudy issues when he meets its labour chief next month. Peter Goudie told Tribune Business he wanted to create

Sixty percent of firms say workforce 'uncompetitive'

Some 60 percent of Bahamian companies view the country’s workforce as “globally uncompetitive”, with a labour specialist affirming yesterday: “Everyone admits we have a challenge.” Peter Goudie, the National Tripartite Council’s vice-chairman, said

Labour expert: Severance pay 'can be onerous'

The National Tripartite Council’s vice-chairman yesterday admitted that legally-mandated severance payouts “can be onerous” after Cavalier Construction cited them as a key factor in its closure. Peter Goudie told Tribune Business that the Employment

Chamber director: We have ‘solution’ for work permits

A Chamber of Commerce director yesterday urged labour policymakers to meet with him over a more effective “solution” to their understudy demands, and warned: “Not talking creates problems.”

'No clue' over $300 minimum wage hike

The Chamber of Commerce's top workforce specialist yesterday revealed he has "no clue" where the director of labour's assertions about a $300 weekly minimum wage originated from.

Unions told: 'Be bigger than this'

The Chamber of Commerce’s top labour specialist yesterday urged Bahamian trade unions to “get bigger than this” and place “saving the country” ahead of their own interests. Peter Goudie, who is also vice-chairman of the National Tripartite Council,

Minimum wage rise talk ‘unequivocally not true’

A National Tripartite Council member yesterday described the minister of labour’s assertion that it is debating a minimum wage increase as “unequivocally not true”.

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