Wednesday, February 9, 2011

5% wage increase for police is final offer: PM Kamla

The Prime Minister said on Tuesday the government of Trinidad and Tobago cannot afford more than the five per cent wage offer made to the police.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar was speaking with reporters at the sod turning for a new housing development in South Trinidad. Responding to questions about a sick out on Monday by officers to press demands for more pay, she said only about 300 officers took part in the sick-out to protest the offer from government's Chief Personnel Officer (CPO).

She reminded reporters that in the last budget all police received a non-taxable allowance of $1,000 a month, which she said amounts to "an almost 17 per cent increase".

She added, "So they have obtained something. I think they are asking for 40 per cent. The economy just cannot sustain a 40 per cent wage increase at this time."

Persad-Bissessar also revealed that her government has not found any evidence to support a claim by opposition MP Donna Cox that the Manning PNM administration Responding the approved a substantial salary increase for the police.

"There is no record of that decision being taken. But maybe they did offer 40 per cent because they knew they were going to call an election. But we have no record of that," she insisted.

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Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai