A monthly salary compensation ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 will be paid to all employees in the private and public sectors across the board as from January 2024, announced the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy, yesterday, in a press conference after the Tripartite Meeting held at Sir Harilal Vaghjee Memorial Hall in Port Louis.
The Tripartite Meeting, chaired Dr Padayachy, was attended by several members of Government including the Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah; the Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Mr Mahen Kumar Seeruttun; the Minister of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training, Mr Soodesh Satkam Callichurn; the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection, Dr Marie Christiane Dorine Chukowry; as well as trade unionists.
Dr Padayachy recalled that the Tripartite Meeting is a dialogue between employers’ and employees’ representatives under the mediation of Government. He said that as a responsible Government, the objective was to find a common ground between the demands of the trade unionists and those of entrepreneurs. He also thanked trade unionists and representatives of businesses present for their participation in the discussions.
Furthermore, he recalled that a mechanism has been put in place since several years by the Mauritius Revenue Authority to assist SMEs in the payment of salary compensation to their employees.
Speaking about inflation, the finance minister highlighted that it is a global phenomenon recalling that in 2022, the inflation rate in Mauritius was around 10% and 7% in 2023. He also spoke about imported inflation due to the Russi-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasised on the need to produce locally.
He reaffirmed Government’s priority to accompany employees as regards the decline in their purchasing power while recalling that basic retirement pension has been increased as well as national minimum wage.
For his part, Minister Bholah said that Government will provide necessary support to SMEs who are struggling with the payment of the salary compensation to their employees.
As for Minister Callichurn, he stated that the National Wage Consultative Council will release its Report in March 2024 as regards the disparities in salary. He informed that salary will also be calculated according to occupation.
