The Government of Antigua and Barbuda says it has adopted a proposal aimed at replacing the concept of a minimum wage with what it describes as a “livable wage” for lower-income workers.
The policy announcement was made during Tuesday’s Throne Speech delivered by Governor-General Sir Rodney Williams.
According to the Government, the initiative was proposed by one of the country’s longstanding trade unions and is intended to ensure workers earn enough income to adequately support their families and eventually own homes.
Officials argued that the “livable wage” model goes beyond the traditional minimum wage framework by focusing on the actual cost of living and quality-of-life standards.
The Government linked the proposal to its broader ambition of building what it repeatedly described during the speech as a national “lifestyle superpower.”
The administration said the initiative forms part of its wider economic transformation strategy as Antigua and Barbuda approaches 45 years of Independence later this year.
