Health and Wellness Minister Christopher Tufton on Monday defended the government’s commitment to doubling the national minimum wage over the next five years, while accusing the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) of inconsistency and uncertainty in its economic proposals.
Speaking at a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) press conference, Tufton said the Andrew Holness administration has a proven record of improving living standards and managing the economy responsibly.
“When we took office nine years ago, the minimum wage stood at $6,000. Today, it is $16,000—a 158 per cent increase,” Tufton said. “That is a legacy of demonstrating that we can grow the economy while ensuring that workers benefit.”
He stressed that the government’s pledge to raise the minimum wage to $18,500 in the next budget, and to double it within five years, was not an “afterthought” but part of a phased, carefully designed plan.
“Unlike the Opposition, we are clear and consistent. We don’t flip-flop from one day saying growth will fund it, the next day saying primary surplus will fund it,” he argued. “They remind me of strays—forgetting where they’re coming from and not knowing where they’re going. That is not how to run a country.”
Tufton pointed to wider reforms he said would support the wage increase without threatening jobs or burdening employers. These include negotiations to reduce energy costs, expansion of training through HEART, digitisation of government services, and investments in logistics and special economic zones.
“We have never advanced one policy position in isolation of the overall macroeconomic and microeconomic management of the economy,” he said. “This is a phased approach tied to productivity growth and broader economic development.”
The minister dismissed Opposition criticisms of the plan, insisting the JLP’s manifesto clearly outlined its commitment to linking wage increases to cost of living, inflation, and employment conditions.
“Manifestos are not meant to give all the specifics—that comes with discussion and implementation. But the principle is there, and the prime minister has outlined how it will work in practice,” he added.
Tufton maintained that the JLP’s economic stewardship gives Jamaicans reason to trust the proposal.
“We believe it is doable. We have done it before, and we will do it again,” he declared.