Supermarket official: Wage hike won’t lead to higher prices

A FORMER official of the Supermarkets’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago (SATT) has assured the population that a $1 increase in the minimum wage does not necessarily mean higher food prices. Balliram Maharaj, CEO of the Arima Discount Mart  said for a long time, most supermarkets have been paying their workers $9 per hour. He even hinted that the $9 per hour minimum wage could soon be increased to $15 an hour, depending on workers’ experience and skill.

Maharaj said Government’s social employment programmes “has eaten up most of the lower end workers.” “It appears that most of these workers are quite satisfied with working shorter hours and collecting the same or even more salary. In addition, the construction industry is now paying between $100 and $120 per day to labourers and $200 per day to skilled workers,” he said. Maharaj advised shoppers to get a small calculator, a pen and a pad and move from store to store comparing prices before spending their money. “No minister, housewives’ association or union leader can do it better than you.  The power is in your hand and the strength is in your pockets,” he advised.