People can’t live off such wages

Sir,
Mr Averoff Neophytou is quite right when he warns against the increase in prices in Cyprus (Sunday Mail, February 26), costs which have hit the most vulnerable groups the hardest. 

These increased costs are unsustainable and unjustified. Despite the sarcasm from the opposition, price rises have been brought about by sheer greed on the part of the supplier. The extra money is going into the pockets of the developers and shop owners, it does not benefit the community as a whole. It is now time to call for a minimum wage set across the board, for all workers as in the UK, where the minimum wage is set at £5.05 per hour. At the moment our minimum wage affects only a small section of workers referred to as ‘Vulnerable Groups’, and the rate of £362 a month is not enough to live on.  If we do not challenge this attitude, the result will be an exodus of young people off the island, seeking a better standard of living abroad.  The young are the future of our island, they need support and protection as part of the encouragement to stay.

Peter G. Davis, Droushia