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‘People cannot live on $4 per hour!’ – Richard C. De Castro

Television talk show host Richard Courtney De Castro is again calling for the Government to address the minimum wage of the Territory, saying that while some employers pay above the minimum wage, some of them continue to pay it and people are finding it hard to survive on it. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Television talk show host Richard Courtney De Castro is again calling for the Government to address the minimum wage of the Territory, saying that while some employers pay above the minimum wage, some of them continue to pay it and people are finding it hard to survive on it.

He was speaking on the ‘Speak Your Mind’ television talk show aired on Saturday evening October 11, 2014 on JTV Live.

“We just noticed that a couple of countries have increased their minimum wages and that is a good thing, because the fight for the minimum wage is not for the [well to do] persons; it is for the persons who are being affected by employers who use that as a measure against the employees,” he said.

“While there are some employees who pay above the minimum wage, there are still some of them who use that against their employees,” he said.

He said that $4 per hour works out to just $32 per day. “With the cost of living in the Territory so high we know that $32 can’t do much, it can’t pay the bills, it can’t take care of the children, it can’t put food on the table,” he said.

“You would have to work many hours if you are going to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. And when I say comfortable lifestyle I am not going to the extraordinary, I’m talking about very ordinary, basic things,” said De Castro.

Government has recently set up a committee that is tasked with examining and reviewing the current minimum wage and report back to Cabinet.

17 Responses to “‘People cannot live on $4 per hour!’ – Richard C. De Castro”

  • Dave (13/10/2014, 09:05) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
    DeCastro and others should look at this issue from both sides. He is calling for raising the minimum wage but he must remember that many of our businesses are struggling and barely making enough to cover their operating expenses. What if these businesses decide to close their doors. The same persons who are asking for their salaries to be increased would be out of work. What then? Everyone is hurting in this bad economy. Mr. DeCasrto should consider this before advocating a raise in the minimum wage. Oh and one last questions. Is he Mr. DeCastro an employer? Food for thought.
  • JVD (13/10/2014, 09:06) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
    GOVERMENT SHOULD START RAISE OF PAY FROM ALL GOVERMENT SECTORS THEN OTHERS
    • Michael (14/10/2014, 09:06) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
      @JVD: you should be grateful you have a job. Be content. Besides Government employees are some of the laziest bunch of people I have ever came across.
  • ? (13/10/2014, 09:28) Like (6) Dislike (11) Reply
    Am not saying it is a good thing but a lot of employees is stealing from their employers
    • paul (13/10/2014, 16:43) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      What that have to do with the minimum wage issue?
      • ztrfghfgfghf (14/10/2014, 08:30) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
        It has to do with the fact that if people can't feed themselves or their families they will steal. If people aren't treated with respect by their employers, they will steal from their employers. $4 an hour is economic disenfranchisement and disrespectful.
  • chad (13/10/2014, 10:22) Like (8) Dislike (7) Reply
    I know a lot of low scale workers in BVI. Cashiers, gas attendants, bartenders, hair dressers, security officers etc. and I don't know of one that makes $4.00 an hour. The lowest paid person I know of makes $6.00 an hour. Once a proper analysis is done on this issue, it will be realized that it's just good for talking points but there aren't that many people (if any) working for $4.00 an hour. I agree that the low wages paid here aren't sufficient but changing the minimum wage will not help that. If they change it to $6-$7 it wiilll be a good political move but won't do much for people who cannot afford the basics here. Most people are already making well over $4.00 and hour and not making ends meet. There needs to be focus on why the cost is so high to live here, as opposed to minimum wage. Minimum wage is not the problem, the cost of living is. There are people making $2,000.00 per month and can hardly make it and that's far above minimum wage.
    • fact (13/10/2014, 12:59) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      There are people out here working for $4 and hour in those categories you listed....it's sad but it's true...
    • vincy (13/10/2014, 14:56) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      my coworkers is working $4.00 per hr an they are tolans too..dont know how they survive on it with kids an rent....
    • @wow (17/10/2014, 09:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Let me high light something for you I get 5 dollars an hour after them take out social security.....in a month I only make a Lil over our less then 700 dollars so let me tell you something 2000. Sounds way better than what I does get.... Every day I stressed or depressed most time I got to beg the day care to allow me to keep my first two weeks pay and pay the next day. I get paid every two weeks like 380 minus social security.... My job their doing to us what McDonald did to their works fixing andccutting people time :'(
  • pay cut (13/10/2014, 10:43) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    How about De Castro and Dawson take pay cuts at the college, help finance education so that locals can add more than $4 in value. Both wine $ wine $ wine $. Another college staff who never there and taking the free buck. different to @? stealing?
  • David (13/10/2014, 11:51) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Would love to see overly political members of the HoA live on $4 an hour. They'd either take action or quit. In either case, the BVI would be much better off.
  • vgboy (13/10/2014, 11:54) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    cost 0f living gone up n pay staying low. bread cost $3.00 n cant buy cheese
  • please (13/10/2014, 12:45) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    I do not know what are they waiting on to fix it! I am 21 and I don't know how i could have done it. I am now returned from college. It was in the news some time back where SKB was fixing their wages. We have to look out for the people first, this is a priority. This first then creating jobs.
  • Chance (13/10/2014, 12:50) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    That is why the hurricane is visiting us.
  • paul (13/10/2014, 16:47) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Oh Please Mr. Premier, Cost of food is up by the minute. The working class need an urgent increase in the minimum wage.
    I also believe there should be a wage scale setup for professional, so as to detour employers from employing Philippines and sucking the blood out of them. After all we are all human.


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