Police in Trinidad and Tobago have decided to boycott next week's Independence day celebrations. If they carry out the threat it would be the first time police have not participated in the parade.
The Police Service Second Division Association decision to boycott the parade goes beyond the pomp and ceremony; the law officers also took a decision at a meeting Tuesday not to work overtime and to "desist from supporting Government’s anti-crime initiatives".
The officers want Government to speed up negotiations on outstanding salary issues. Members of the force are currently working on 2007 salaries. National Security Minister John Sandy has promised to deal with the matter.
Sergeant Anand Ramesar, President of the Police Social and Welfare Association told the NEWSDAY newspaper he has a mandate "to relentlessly pursue the salary objectives for my membership."
Ramesar added, "I reaffirm my commitment together with my executive to do what it takes in the legal parameters of our existence as an Association.”
He said he is very concerned about what has been happening and warned that if the government does not deal with the problem immediately his executive "may not be able to control its membership, who...may engage in formal action which will be very detrimental to the proper administration and efficient functioning of any anti crime plan."
Police are also angry that while their matter is unresolved the government has negotiated a hefty salaries for the new police chief, Canadian Dwayne Gibbs, and Deputy Commissioner, Jack Ewatski, who is also a Canadian.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said on Sunday that matter has not yet been decieded by cabinet but suggested that people should not put a price on security.
Ramesar sees that as a contradiction.
"On one hand, the Government is saying that 'you cannot put a price on security of the citizenry' in order to justify paying the commissioner a million-dollar salary. But then the officers that need to work along with the commissioner are still being exploited. What about our officers?" he asked.
The Prime Minister's national Security Adviser Gary Griffith was not aware of the threats when NEWSDAY contacted him.
“This is news to me. I wasn’t aware of the situation," he told the paper. He added that the Prime Minister has been involved in budget consultations and promised to bring the matter to her attention "with a view of having the matter resolved.”
Acting Police Commissioner James Philbert also didn't know of the developments. However he said police would do "take the necessary measures to ensure the country remains safe.”
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Jai & Sero
Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai
1 comment:
This is despicable. Threats and recalcitrance on behalf og the police association when by all too common experience amonh the taxpayers that pay them, a very, very, obscenely high percentage of them are lazy, incompetent and crooked.
Right now they should be looking within and dealing with ways to actually deliver what the public is alrady paying them for.
It has already been said that the matter of increased pay is under review. Their collective one-sided focus is a slap in the face to evey memeber of the public they have, and continue to short-change.
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