Business leader Celso Marranzini told Hoy newspaper that he is opposed to mandatory wage increases for businesses. He said that the National Salaries Commission (CNS) should stick to legislating the minimum wage, not wages in general. As reported, he said that it is now up to the Ministry of Labor to judge the merits of the resolution issued by the CNS that prescribed the pay hikes for workers making up to RD$20,000. A former president of the National Council of Business (CONEP), Marranzini said that in a free-market economy, businesses should not be obliged to elevate wages above the mandated minimum level. Wage increases over the minimum wage should be left to market forces. He said that making the wage increase mandatory goes against sensible personnel practices, as both the good and the bad employees are rewarded equally.