PORT MORESBY, 05 SEPTEMBER 2018 (POST COURIER) – Papua New Guinea Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations Mehrra Kipefa has told Parliament that the minimum wage ceiling is K3.50 (US$1.07) an hour.
He said this after questions were raised in Parliament that Asian shops are paying Papua New Guinean workers well below the minimum wage standards.
Member for Markham Koni Iguan raised the issue in Parliament asking the Labour and Industrial Relations Minister on whether there will be a review on the minimum wage.
He said his questions were follow-ups on issues raised on fake products coming into PNG.
“Can you tell the people of Papua New Guinea what is the set minimum wage where all companies are suppose to pay their workers and are there going to be some review into the minimum wages?” Iguan asked.
“And is the Minister aware that the Asian stores are underpaying Papua New Guineans, they are not paying the required minimum wage but workers are being paid below K100 (US$30). And why are these people coming here and also doing a job of store keeper when a Papua New Guinean can do it?”
Kipefa in response said these are some of the backlog of issues the department was facing in the past few years.
“So many people have come into the country, some followed procedures when others did not. We are now working to address those issues. The minimum wage is K3.50 and the minimum wages board needs to be changed this year, when a new chairperson gets in we will sit and look at review of the minimum wage and K3.50 is too low and we will look at helping our people.”
Kipefa said in response to the reserve list for PNG business that PNG human resource have reviewed the reserve work list and they have made recommendations to the department which will be brought to Parliament to cut out some jobs and business and give back to citizens.
