Column: Senator Bell On Minimum Wage & More
[Opinion column written by Senator Lauren Hayward Bell]
On 1 September 2025, Bermuda will implement a new statutory minimum wage of $17.13 per hour, in keeping with this Government’s unwavering commitment to fairness and economic dignity for all.
More than 2,500 workers, many in lower-paid sectors, will directly benefit from this increase.
This increase in the minimum wage is not just an economic adjustment. It is a recognition of the dignity of work, ensuring that full-time employment becomes a pathway out of hardship, not a trap within it.
The decision to increase the minimum wage was guided not by political expediency but by sound evidence, social responsibility, and international best practices.
The Wage Commission, established under the Employment [Wage Commission] Act 2019, has done critical work in assessing the realities of Bermuda’s labour market and cost of living. Their findings were clear: a minimum wage that stagnates risks entrenching poverty. This is especially true for workers in sectors like hospitality, retail, caregiving, and personal services; those who serve our communities every day but are too often left behind.These are real people with families to feed, rent to pay, and futures to plan.
The new rate is grounded in data, reflecting the inflationary realities of 2023 and 2024.
Future adjustments will follow a predictable, transparent process: biennial reviews based on objective measures, capped at 2.5% to safeguard both workers and business viability. This gives employers time to adapt and plan, while giving workers the reassurance that their wages will not erode with rising costs.
This approach aligns with global principles, particularly those advocated by the International Labour Organization [ILO], which underscore that fair and regularly reviewed minimum wages are essential to reducing inequality and building resilient economies.
There are those who worry about potential disruptions to business. That’s understandable. But let us be clear: lifting wages is not a threat to prosperity but a foundation for it. Economies are strongest when all participants can share in the growth that they helped to create. When workers earn more, they spend more; investing in their communities, their families, and their future. This, in turn, supports small businesses, stabilizes our economy, and strengthens the social fabric of our island.
This Government understands that economic justice is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing responsibility. By raising the minimum wage and committing to regular, transparent adjustments, we are building a fairer Bermuda – one where dignity is not reserved for the few, but extended to all.
Ultimately, this is about more than dollars and cents. It’s about the kind of society we want to be; one where everyone who contributes to our economy is afforded the opportunity to live with dignity.
As Junior Minister, I am proud to have played a part in this effort. Our commitment to fair labour practices and inclusive growth will continue, because a stronger, more equitable Bermuda benefits us all.
- Senator Lauren Hayward Bell, Junior Minister of Economy & Labour
“The decision to increase the minimum wage was guided not by political expediency but by sound evidence, social responsibility, and international best practices.’
No consideration is said to have been given to economic conditions in Bermuda, the state of our economy, the rate of inflation or any other observable metric.
This appears to be a gift to workers with no consideration having been given to the impact on employers.
$17 is a bare minimum one can make to live on this island, if you cant afford to pay that then your business will have minimal impact on the economy if it closes.
I suggest you take that discussion to any restaurateur in Bermuda and see what is said about your point of view.
While you’re there, order the $50 burger and add on the $20 fries.
$5 extra if you want cheese.
We sit silently feeling stabbed in the back.At the end of the day it has done very little for the Bermudian not renting and sharing a room at $600 a month. The Bdian gets a pittance towards his $2,000 plus monthly rental bill. Unbelieveable. Silent now but will wake up and see no real evidence of Bermudians in these jobs. Let’s hope they talk and not march and protest. Maybe they will ask for help from the Mary Prince group who are for “all”. It is coming and once again we will ask “how did we get here?”
The additional cost has been passed directly on to employers who do what? Raise the cost of their products. Have you eaten out lately? When asked where the money was coming from to pay the increase there was absolutely silence in all quarters because employers feared looking anti worker. So we the general public now pay for this. Not the Govt. Immediately after this what did we see? The Govt pay rise. Unbelieveable. You can’t make this stuff up. Joe you got it right.