Former government statistician and antiracism campaigner Cordell Riley has been appointed as chairman of a group which will pave the way for a living wage in Bermuda.
Minister of Labour, Community Affairs and Sports, Lovitta Foggo, announced members of the Commission in the House of Assembly on Friday.
Mr Riley will be joined by Bermuda Industrial Union President Chris Furbert, economists Robert Stubbs and Craig Simmons; restaurant group head Philip Barnett, of IRG and social worker Martha Dismont.
“There is much work to be done and all stakeholders will have an opportunity to make representations to the commission,” said Ms Foggo.
“This further consultation, research and analysis by the commission is critical to the establishment of a minimum and living wage in Bermuda and I look forward to receiving their report in due course.
“The commission is required to conduct studies, reviews and analyses as necessary to determine the requirements for a basic standard of living in Bermuda and to make recommendations on the minimum hourly wage and on the living wage rate to be prescribed by the Minister,” she added.
“You will recall that this Honourable House with unanimous support passed the Employment [Wage Commission] Act 2019 which came into effect in October of last year.
“The Act provides amongst other things for the establishment of a Wage Commission. Their work will be considerable as subject to the provisions of the Act and regulations made, the Commission are required to conduct studies, reviews and analyses as necessary to determine the requirements for a basic standard of living in Bermuda and, to make recommendations on the minimum hourly wage and on the living wage rate to be prescribed by the Minister.
“I wish to thank the Chairman and members for agreeing to serve. There is much work to be done and all stakeholders will have an opportunity to make representations to the Commission. This further consultation, research and analysis by the Commission is critical to the establishment of a minimum and living wage in Bermuda and I look forward to receiving their report in due course.
She noted that Mr Riley “is the Managing Director of Profiles of Bermuda, a company he founded in 1998. The firm conducts human resource assessments, training and development, as well as market, business and tourism research. Mr. Riley, a former government statistician, has authored numerous articles in the tourism and human resource fields, and has spoken at a number of international conference”.
“He also facilitates a number of training and development courses for both the public and private sectors. Since 2003, Mr. Riley has taught GED Math at Bermuda’s maximum-security prison and more recently had Life-Skills added to his teaching portfolio.
“Mr Riley is also studying Social Science at the doctorate level, concentrating on Black economic development in Bermuda post the 1959 desegregation movement.
“He was a contributor to the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on the Establishment of a Minimum/Living Wage regime for Bermuda.”
