Threat of work to rule by cops

Mon, September 06, 2010 - 12:00 AM

PORT-OF-SPAIN – President of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social Welfare Association, Sergeant Anand Ramesar, says if government fails to give police officers a 40 per cent salary increase, cops will be working to rule.

Ramesar said he was not convinced police officers would get the 40 per cent increase they requested when the association’s executive met with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last week at her St Clair office.

Ramesar said the prime minister instructed Finance Minister Winston Dookeran to instruct Chief Personnel Officer Stephanie Lewis to resume negotiations on Friday, two days after Wednesday’s budget.

Dookeran and Lewis were both present at the meeting which was called by Persad-Bissessar after the association threatened to boycott the Independence Day Parade if outstanding issues facing its membership were not adequately addressed.

One of the issues was salary negotiations, another was the manner in which former acting commissioner of police James Philbert was leading the Police Service.

In an interview with the Sunday Express at his office at the Besson Street Police Station, Port-of-Spain, Ramesar said:

“The feedback that I am getting, it does not appear that the government is willing to put the 40 per cent as it is. Having met with the CPO and the finance minister, I am not convinced that there is a 40 per cent increase in the salaries.

“They have not indicated what they are offering, but I am saying that I am not convinced that there is a willingness to give us what were are asking for.”

Ramesar warned that it would be a “hard fight” between the government and the association if its demands were not met. (Trinidad Express)