A minimum wage of MVR 6,000 is sufficient and a ‘big step’ forward, says Mauroof Zahir, general secretary of the Tourism Employer’s Association of Maldives (TEAM).

Speaking to RaajjeTV on Wednesday, Mauroof said that setting a higher minimum wage may be detrimental to businesses and the national economy.

Mauroof said that this negative impact on the economy due to a higher amount will primarily be caused because Maldives has not had a set minimum wage.

Mauroof’s remarks come as the Maldives government has announced work towards setting a minimum wage.

The President’s Office on Wednesday also announced the establishment of an advisory board on wages, under advisement from the Ministry of Economic Development.

The government coalition’s Maldivian Democratic Party in January announced that they will propose a bill on setting the minimum wage at MVR 200 a day – amounting to 6,000 for 30 days.

The bill, along with bills for multi-sector reform, will be submitted to parliament after parliamentarians elected in April take their oath of office.