Although the minimum wage, or the amount set as the minimum compensation for employees working in the Maldives, should be reviewed every two years, the Minister of Higher Education and Skills Development, Dr. Ali Haider Ahmed, has stated that the previous government did not carry out this task. The Minister said this while responding to a question asked by Kendhoo constituency member Mauroof Zakir regarding the minimum wage in the People’s Majlis.
Answering questions from members in the People’s Majlis, Minister of Higher Education and Skills Development Dr. Ali Haider Ahmed said that the minimum wage for employees working in the Maldives was first set on November 8, 2021. Therefore, it should have been reviewed on November 8, 2023, but the previous government did not carry out the review work during that period, the Minister said.
The Minister said that after President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu took office and transferred minimum wage matters from the Ministry of Economic Development to the Ministry of Higher Education, work has begun on reviewing the minimum wage. As such wage. As such, by July of last year, the Minimum Wage Board had been formed, and documents and studies from the previous board were shared with this board, he said. The Minister noted that many employees who were involved in the technical work of the minimum wage have distanced themselves from the work for various reasons, adding that this has caused difficulties in obtaining technical experience and assistance for the work. Therefore, the Minister Dr. Haider said that the Minimum Wage Board is now working with the International Labor Organization (ILO) to obtain technical assistance.
“Setting a minimum wage is a sensitive task that requires consideration of many factors. And as it is the state’s responsibility to set a minimum wage in a way that does not burden or negatively impact the economy, workers, and labor, the minimum wage is something that needs to be determined very thoughtfully, wisely, and based on research,” said Minister of Higher Education and Skills Development Dr. Ali Haider Ahmed.
The Minister said that in collaboration with the ILO, the work of reviewing the minimum wage will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, work is underway to collect primary data such as the latest Labor Force Survey, Household Income and Expenditure Survey, Census, and National Production. He said that once the Labor Force Survey is completed, it has been decided to start the second phase of work. According to the Minister, the Labor Force Survey work will be completed by the end of this year.
