Prime Minister P.J. Patterson yesterday reaffirmed that the Government would not budge on its position against increasing police salaries during the life of the public sector Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Mr. Patterson, speaking in Parliament, reiterated that despite the fact that the Police Federation did not sign on to the MoU, the Government was bound by the terms and conditions of the agreement to restrain all public sector wages.
The Prime Minister noted, however, that trade union representatives had indicated that there were requests from the police that could be addressed without affecting the MoU.
"Let me state categorically, we have identified all those items and we have addressed all those items in the current negotiations," Mr. Patterson said.
ONE-TIME PAYMENT
The Prime Minister said the Government has been working to find a solution to the problem and that it had been suggested that a one-time payment could be made to the police under the category of 'safety'.
"They (the unions) have indicated a figure beyond which we cannot go without moving from what is a special safety provision, to what is ostensibly and palpably an increase under another guise and under another name," Mr. Patterson said.
It has already been announced that the Government would be making a one-time payment amounting to $300 million to over 7,000 policemen and women.
"I am just begging everybody to be responsible and don't say that the Government is being inconsiderate and insensitive," Mr. Patterson said.
