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Guam - It was yesterday when Governor Eddie Calvo signed Substitute Bill 316 into public law that would raise the minimum wage by one dollar to $8.25 starting January 1st next year. The original proposal by Vice Speaker BJ Cruz was heavily opposed by the island's business community. The Employers Council executive director Andrew Andrus says he's received feedback from its 75 members on the now public law.


"We've heard concerns from not only the small businesses, but the big ones as well when you have a mandate to increase the minimum wage from a whole dollar, yes that's going impact your whole wage and salary and whole benefit structure and everyone is going to have to scramble to make adjustments accordingly," he said.


And just like the governor noted, he says the real need is for education, training and development system to help people move out of these lower paying jobs.