INFLATING the impact of pay rise?: Khaiyum says call by trade unions to increase wage rate from $2.68 per hour to $4 for unskilled workers will hit inflation; what about Bainimarama's $3,000 per day TRAVEL allowance?

23/10/2017

8 Comments

Fijileaks: If Frank Bainimarama, as Prime Minister, wants to run around the world everyday of the year, he should pay from his own pocket or demand from the host country to pay for his expenses, given that Fiji is too 'POOR' to pay $4 an hour minimum wage to its hard-working citizens. Why does he need $3,000 per day in allowance if all his expenses, hotel bills and food is taken care off? - For SHOPPING every day?????????

And Aiyaz Khaiyum and his 12 Bodyguards should take a bus to his "ROAD SHOWS" and other engagements, for it will save taxpayers thousands of dollars in TRAVELLING EXPENSES. Khaiyum and his bodyguards could buy seasonal E-Ticket Bus Travel Cards (or even walk from Parliament to the city centre for a cup of coffee or hair cut).
HAIR-RAISING FLIGHT: We have suggested that Khaiyum and his bodyguards should take the bus based on an episode some time back when he was flying with Fiji Airways. A well-know Indo-Fijian family was transiting via Hong Kong to _________(country withheld for fear of persecution) when they were told that they could not occupy the seats behind the RESERVED seats. The family protested saying they had paid for those seats. Not long afterwards, to their horror and disappointment, they saw Khaiyum and his family take up those reserved seats, and the seats immediately behind the Khaiyum family (which was for the other family) was now ordered to be EMPTY. The other family lately told our Founding Editor-in-Chief VICTOR LAL in London: "First, the plane did not belong to Khaiyum but to Waqavuka Ltd in Ireland. Secondly, was he afraid of his coiffured hair-do, as if we were going to lean over and pull it from behind the seats we had paid for but were denied to occupy by Fiji Airways? He reminded us of an African dictator. Ironically, when he used to travel overseas economy class, he used to come and stay at our place. He pretended he
did not recognize us when he took up the RESERVED seats on Fiji Airways."

ATTORNEY-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has called on trade unionists calling for an increase in the minimum wage rate from $2.68 per hour to $4 to consider the inflation impacts of such an increase.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said trade unionists should understand that the minimum wage of $2.68 per hour was for unskilled workers and not for other category of employment. He said free services provided by Government for low-income earners played an important role in determining the minimum wage rate for unskilled workers.

"Now, when we assess minimum wage, you need to take into account, the cost of living, the various everyday utility cost that people have to meet and that is how minimum wage is determined," Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said. Source: The Fiji Times, 23 October 2017

Felix Anthony addressing the crowd at a rally organised by the Fiji Trade Union Congress at Ratu Sukuna Park in Suva on Saturday.

NFP stands by $5 pay proposal: Party leader Biman Prasad, in a press statement, says the NFP is adamant that a living wage of five dollars an hour for workers is needed to offset inflation
Fijileaks: If you are so adamant, why were you absent at the PUBLIC rally to explain your position, instead of 'talking' through a PRESS release? We are sure like Rabuka, Prasad will come up with the b******t - 'prior appointments'

JOINING FORCES: Anthony, Chaudhry and Singh marching for $4 minimum pay for workers

NFP leader Biman Prasad and 6 other party officials visiting victims who lost everything during Diwali fire to their dwellings

Note:

Tier 1

Minimum wage rates are determined by factors such as poverty threshold, prevailing wage rates as determined by the Labor Force Survey, and socio-economic indicators (i.e. inflation, employment figures, Gross Regional Domestic Product, among others), which insures better workers protection.

Tier 2

Over and above minimum wage is the voluntary productivity-based pay, which encourages workers and enterprises to become more competitive and productive by rewarding employees supplementary pay based on the quality of their performance.

How is the mandatory minimum wage set? There are four factors that influence the fixing of minimum wage, namely:

1. Needs of workers and their families

Demand for living wage
Wage adjustment vis-à-vis Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Cost of living and changes therein
Needs of workers and their families
Improvements in standards of living

2. Capacity to pay

Fair return on capital invested and capacity to pay of employers
Productivity

3. Comparable wages and incomes

Prevailing wage levels

4. Requirements of economic and social development

Need to induce industries to invest in the countryside
Effects on employment generation and family income
Equitable distribution of income and wealth along the imperatives of economic social development

We call on Aiyaz Khaiyum to make public the '2007 Report'
From Fijileaks Archive, 23 January 2015:

http://www.fijileaks.com/home/behind-the-tall-facade-tappoos-boast-they-have-bought-out-fnfp-investment-ltds-51-share-in-penina-and-taken-over-37m-commercial-loan-was-there-any-valuation-and-tender-and-what-about-the-lease-deal

8 Comments

Rajend Naidu

23/10/2017 10:03:45 am

Editor,
Crony Capitalism
Wikipedia definition :Crony capitalism is an economy in which businesses thrive not as a result of risk taken for them, but rather, as a return on money amassed through a nexus between a business class and the political class.
Business Dictionary : Crony capitalism - An economy that is nominally free-market, but allows for preferential regulation and other favourable government intervention based on personal relationships. In such a system, the false appearance of " pure " capitalism is publicly maintained to preserve the exclusive influence of well-connected individuals.
Do we have any manifestations of crony capitalism in Fiji - both pre-coup and post-coup Fiji?
I would rely on people better qualified and more knowledgeable in this subject - people like Professor Wadan Narsey and Father Kevin Barr and Dr Ganesh Chand - to guide my understanding.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Samjoe

23/10/2017 10:43:50 am

So what kind of money did Aunty Nur Bano amass through a nexus between her business and her nephew Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum's politics in coupist Bainimarama's " new Fiji "?

Chiku

23/10/2017 11:25:02 am

Fiji society, economy and politics, characterised by the pauperisation of the masses ( the many ) and the obscene affluence of the few enjoying First World perks and privileges in a Third World banana republic.

Ratu

23/10/2017 11:31:38 am

What utter rubbish. Inflation occurs when u have many buyers chasing few goods. A national minimum wage of $4 an hour will actually stimulate the economy as there will greater purchasing power in the hands of consumers. The more poor u are the greater the share of your income is spent on food and other basic needs. Instead of having rice and black tea for dinner a family may be able to but protein like a can of mackerel to go with the rice. That is what we are talking about. Khaiyum is just trying to protect the wealthy top one per centers.

Bahuki

23/10/2017 02:21:27 pm

Since when does inflation involve a raise in the minimum wage from $2.68 to $4 or $5?

Its like Ayarse wants to widen the gap further between the lower, middle, and upper class (his kind of class). And by the looks of this, it seems that the veterans sound useless and should make way for new blood to lead the country.

Rajend Naidu

23/10/2017 09:44:41 pm

Editor,
Crony Capitalism : The South African Case.
The FBI has opened an investigation into US links to South Africa's Guptas, escalating a scandal over the family's alleged use of a friendship with President Jacob Zuma to control state businesses.
The British Parliament too is to look into the Guptas dealings.
... The family, founders of a business empire spanning media, mining and consulting, have been named in a trove of leaked emails alleging graft in dealing with South Africa's state owned companies, which also named several global firms.
... Local media have reported extensively on the so called " Gupta-leaks" - thousands of emails between the Guptas and their lieutenants and state owned companies, politically connected individuals and private sector firms ( read more in ' FBI opens investigation into South Africa's Guptas: FT' Reuter's 19/10/17 ).
Wonder whether there is any " Gupta factor " in post coup Fiji politics?
Where you have wealthy Indian business wallahs there tends to be some dirty political going on.
The people in Vanuatu can confirm that.
Fiji?
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Chiku

24/10/2017 04:07:44 am

You have hit the nail on the head. The " reality" to borrow the wise word of the learned AG, is that there is no clean money in the business class of Fiji.

The bigger the business ,the dirtier it is.

Alibaba

24/10/2017 12:00:52 am

I just read with utter disgust the story of the family on board "Kaiyum Airways". The behavior of these 2 mongrels is getting out of hand to the point where Fiji is now becoming another Zimbabwe. We have not quite become the failed state that Mugabes land has become but we are getting close. The blatant attempts at hiding the obvious such as the failing economy the gap between the rich and poor the state of Hospital system the hard line taken against descent and the list goes on and on. What i find most disappointing is that in the year 2000 the so called Taukei movement supported by segments of the Methodist Church and some chiefs were very brave in taking down the Indian led government when most of what Chaudary was doing was going to actually benefit the country at large. With the exception of some glaring mistakes that he made compared to the level of decay Ba and Kai have caused Chaudhary was an Angel. I am in no way supporting Mahend nor condoning his wrongs but am simply asking where are the brave ones now. This country is being raped 24/7. The Fijian culture and way of life has been marginalized by the ruling elite. Our social and economic structure is being destroyed and yet no brave ones are standing up. I am just wondering is it only easy for the i-taukei to bully Indians or do they actually have some balls to stand up and be counted. I guess 11 years of silence is my answer.

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