SOME Egyptians complain that the LE400 minimum wage is insufficient, Ahmed Kotb reports. Maged Tawfiq, a 34-year-old telephone operator, is a married father of two. "How can I provide food and clothing for my family with LE400 a month?" Tawfiq wondered, adding that LE400 is barely enough for a tight 10-day budget. "I pay a monthly rent of LE250 for my apartment, and it is a very small one," says Said Abdel-Rahman, a waiter who lives with his wife. He added that transportation and cigarettes alone cost him about LE120 per month, "let alone food." While unexpected cost pop up frequently and destroy any budget plans, healthcare is a concern for many. "My son needs medicine worth LE200 a month," says Ahmed Amin, who works in an educational institution. Aged 40, Amin gets a monthly salary of LE650, which barely cover food and transportation costs for his family before his son's illness appeared, leaving him indebted to many people. Hussein Ali, a security guard at a Cairo club, would love to plan his budget at the start of each month, but money shortages mean he has difficulties doing so. Married with two children, Ali gets LE800 from his job, while his estimated living costs total LE950. His calculations include food, rent, electricity and transportation costs alone. "In order to afford a decent life, the minimum wage should not fall below LE1,500," Ali said.
