Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar slammed the “irresponsible acts” by some members of the Police Service and said that “this level of irresponsibility will not go unchecked nor will the nation be held to ransom.”
The Trinidad Express newspaper reported that, in a statement to the House of Representatives on the police sickout, the prime minister said, “Those members of the Police Service who may believe that an abandonment of their duty to conduct an essential service such as the protection of our citizens, will find favour either with the public or the government as a negotiation tactic, can expect quite the opposite.”
Persad-Bissessar said “no one was more mindful of the need for reasonable adjustment to the terms and conditions of the men and women of the Police Service who lay down their lives every day in defense and protection of citizens.”
However, she noted that the same was true of many other public servants, who faithfully serve the nation and were equally deserving of improved terms and conditions as can be afforded at this point in time.
“Your government has to act with fiscal responsibility and make prudent decisions that are in the long term national interest, but which in the short term may be unpopular in some sectors,” Persad Bissessar said.
MiyVue.com understands that the officers are protesting against what they described is a ridiculous 5 per cent pay increase offer. According to further media reports, they are demanding a 40 per cent increase.
(Contents used to re-write this article were incorporated from Caribbeannewsnow)