2026 Budget must increase minimum wage, fix education, NIS, and Post Offices

Jan 26, 2026 Letters

Dear Editor,

The government’s 2026 budget is being eagerly anticipated for the next phase of our national development. There were enormous infrastructural development and improvements in many areas resulting from the 2025 budget. Budget 2026 must continue with a balanced approach to infrastructural development and increases in family income and benefits.

In my wish list, I would like to see the minimum wage increased to at least $150,000 per month for the most vulnerable among us. The Government must understand that people gauge their well-being by how much their salary and payment has gone up. They don’t give you credit for indirect benefits such as subsidies on gas, removal of taxes and VAT, provision of day care, or one-time cash grants. The only measure poor people use is whether their base pay is increased substantially. Some security guards on the West Coast told me they make $2,800 a day. I told them that can’t even buy a 3-piece KFC meal! The base pay must be increased substantially for guards most of whom are women, retail workers, cleaners, labourers, and entry level clerical workers.

I would like to see the budget resolving longstanding, ongoing problems with workers getting their benefits. NIS has been broken for a very long time with no end in sight for resolution of the root cause problem of NIS having incomplete contribution statements. There must be a mechanism to resolve all those cases where claimants say they worked but NIS did not fulfill its statutory duty of maintaining proper records, and the workers suffer. I call on Minister Ashni who has responsibility for NIS and the Government side to withdraw their appeal of the Zainul case where the ruling would help resolve many cases where workers are being denied benefits.

It’s about time the Government pay some attention to most of our Post Offices falling apart all across the country. At Whim, the Post Office there has been in a deplorable state for many, many years. There are Government buildings on the Government compound there falling apart too and nothing has been done for a decade. The GPO building is in a deplorable state.

In the education arena, I would like to see massive sums allocated to the refurbishing and repainting of all schools across the country. Our children learn nastiness in schools from the nursery to university levels because they grow up in nasty school environments. Even UG and college buildings are in various decrepit states. Put money in the budget for a secretary at each school, and at least one male janitor at each school. Put money in the budget for the electrical rewiring of schools to accommodate digital technology.

To make the Digital School work well, schools have to be given new technology, and such technology can only be used if the wiring can support charging and points are available for charging your devices. Most schools do not have computers for every child, teacher, and administrators. Schools need big screen TVs in every room and smart boards. Where digital devices are available, many are outdated in their capacities. To realise President Ali’s vision for a Digital School, we must invest in the readiness for such an initiative. Most importantly, the Internet services provided by the Ed-Gov program is woefully inadequate. There is probably no school where Internet access is available all across the school campus, in every classroom. This must change urgently with Budget 2026.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jerry Jailall

Civil Society Advocate

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2026 budget, Jerry Jailall, Letters, minimum wage, NIS

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2026 Budget must increase minimum wage, fix education, NIS, and Post Offices

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