Jamaica Election 2025: JLP's minimum wage promise sparks hope among low-income earners

Jamaica: Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that if the Jamaica Labour Party returns to power following Wednesday’s General Elections, the national minimum wage will be doubled from $16,000 to $32,000 over the coming weeks.

The Leader of JLP made this announcement at a mass meeting held by the party on Sunday night in Old Harbour Road, Spanish Town, St. Catherine ahead of the September 3 general elections. It is also being said that this event drew a large crowd and they erupted in celebration and joy after hearing the proposed wage increase.

Andrew Holness stated that “In our initial budget, we will raise the minimum wage from $16,000 to $18,000 and then gradually increase over the next few years.”

He further explained that the wage increment is necessary because the Jamaican Economy has changed, due to economic conditions, including a low employment rate. 

According to Andrew, “Jamaica’s unemployment stands at just 3.3% that means you are practically at full employment.”

Holness further noted that “people are making decisions not to leave what they are doing; many of them are at home, many of the people are at the street side and some of them are hustling and so the incentive to work at the level (current minimum wage) is not strong enough."

Andrew added that "by increasing the minimum wage the Jamaican people will feel more motivated to go to work”. He also stated that “this will lead more Jamaicans to choose to move out of the unemployment pool and get into the labour pool and this will support economic growth and also help in reducing informal employment.”

According to the public this announcement by the P.M. marks a major police promise from the party and it also sets a clear disparity with the opposition’s People’s National Party.

Also the Jamaicans are prepared to head to the polls and the proposed wage by the Holness is the hike which is likely to be a key issue of influencing the voters, particularly among the low-income earners and the working class.