John Myers Jr. and Ross Sheil, Staff Reporters
WILSON
CHAIRMAN OF the Police Federation, Corporal Raymond Wright, said yesterday the federation is prepared to take legal action to force government to meet the demands of a 24-point claim outlining improved financial compensation and working conditions for rank and file members of the Police Force.
"We don't intend to give up, we don't intend to back down or give any indication that we are going to back-track in our pursuit, whether it be for salary or improved working conditions...We are prepared to take legal action," he stressed.
Corporal Wilson told The Gleaner yesterday that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Omar Davies, had written to the Police Federation indicating that he would not be able to meet today's ultimatum. "Late Friday afternoon we got a correspondence from Dr. Davies giving some indication of his intention to meet with us, not necessarily on Monday (today), but sometime in the week or next week."
DETAILS OF LETTER
Corporal Wilson said he planned to divulge the details of the letter from Dr. Davies at last night's vigil for the delegates to make a decision whether or not they accepted the Finance Minister's response. The all-night vigil, he said, also served as a mark of respect for their three fallen comrades, who were killed by gunmen in separate incidents between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.
Corporal Wilson said the police deserved to feel that their own health, security, safety and general well-being was addressed. He said the Federation was asking for a salary increase of more than 40 per cent, in addition for provision for better working conditions, increased access to training opportunities, and improved health benefits for its members.
"We don't consider this 40 per cent an increase, we consider it as a means of bringing things on par to enable us to afford the basic necessities." He said the salary increase would compensate for what he claimed was an 18-21 per cent erosion of salary since the last increase seven years ago. He estimated that police personnel at the rank of constables receive $1,500 per day.
The Police Federation chairman noted that "our members have been experiencing great difficulty, they have been restive, they are now almost in an agitated mood." He argued that "it was a clear fact that our police men and women are not able to afford basic necessities for them to survive."
