Cleaner Sucila Rajoo, whose basic monthly salary was $600 when she started work 18 years ago, now earns $1,300, plus an incentive of $100 a month for good attendance and performance. The mother of three has much more financial freedom and can even set aside money for short trips to places like Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, thanks to measures that have been introduced to significantly boost wages of workers like her.

ST PHOTO: JONATHAN CHOO