Readers’ reactions

Jamaica has a salary problem, but we keep calling it a cost-of-living problem

This is true enuh, the wages paid to Jamaicans are abysmal compared to the cost of living. - @unbrash

Only someone who’s never been a businessman would ever say this. - @BelloTweeet

Exactly. In a society where options are limited, employers easily manipulate the workforce and the marketplace. It operates on the grim philosophy of ‘more dogs than bones,’ and it is incredibly SAD! - @Identykal

It’s not just salary, most of what’s related to cost of living is price gouging! - @iamwilsonx

Oh my God, finally! My boss asked me one day where is my lunch kit with the whole heap a food I usually pack. I said to her I can no longer afford it. - @daringwalk

That’s not all true. While Jamaica does have a salary problem, there’s also a cost- of-living crisis as well. It’s a double-edged sword. Increase salary and the cost of living will increase as well, because of inflation. The Jamaican economy needs stability, stability that the tourism sector is not going to provide. But no one wants to have that conversation. - @dreamboss47

Jamaica has both problems and more. Let’s not sweep one problem under the rug and forget the other. - @shanlejen

Di pay literally a done before we get it. - @ce___leb

These two things are not mutually exclusive. I promise they’re both happening concurrently. - @zz.zim

We do not have a salary problem. We need value for the money and more affordable goods. People are getting $100k a month, that’s not a salary problem. That’s a value-for-the-dollar problem and a cost-of-goods problem. Even if we were getting $1 million per month, the value still wouldn’t be there. - @damainnopes

With this economy and high prices of goods and services, minimum wage should at least be 25k per week. - @gentlebabe25

Yes, the salaries of some/most Jamaicans are ridiculous and, to top it off, the bosses want more work for a meagre salary. If the government says salaries must increase, these same organisations threaten to cut staff, close business, and move elsewhere etc, when, deep down, they know that they were benefitting highly off the backs of workers. There is absolutely no motivation in the regular working world because of the poor salaries being given to workers - @tickboss7

Readers’ reactions sourced from The Gleaner’s X and Instagram pages. Compiled by Khanique McDaniel