Premier confirms suspension of wage subsidies under review since December

Premier Dalton Tagelagi last week confirmed that the Government Wage Subsidies, established to help the local businesses buffer the loss of income with the impacts of Covid 19, was suspended by the government in December last year. 

Premier Hon. Dalton Tagelagi spoke with Esther Pavihi on the News of the Week Radio Program last Friday where he mentioned that the wage subsidies were suspended in December last year to allow the Niue Chamber of Commerce to provide additional information on criteria for businesses who really need the subsidies. 

Premier Tagelagi said that the government’s wage subsidies are always available but from time to time they will need to review it. 

BCN news reached out to Chief Executive Officer of the Niue Chamber of Commerce Catherine Papani via email yesterday to provide a comment on the government wage subsidies. 

Mrs. Papani responded via email saying: “We have provided to GoN via the Minister of Private Sector various papers on the need for continued assistance especially with the Government Wage Subsidy (GWS) which started in April 2020.”

She said that businesses are “feeling the financial strain but the monetary assistance from the government had no set as to how long they could support businesses”. 

Local businesses “also understand that the Government is also going through the same financial strains so it is good to have an understanding that Govt. support remains in one form or another and perhaps the GWS in whatever shape or form will be reactivated for some of our businesses that are in need of it”, says Mrs. Papani. 

She also added that the “Premier who is also the Minister of Private Sector has said that the Government would continue to try and best support where it can and this doesn’t necessarily have to be in the form of a GWS but a more targeted approach to businesses.”