Nagra Plunkett, Staff Reporter
PHILLIPS
WESTERN BUREAU:
STILL SMARTING from their inability to reach a salary settlement with Government, members of the Police Federation gave National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips, a rather undiplomatic welcome at the opening of the Federation's Annual Conference in Montego Bay, St. James on Tuesday.
Police personnel walked out at different stages of the minister's address, some openly criticising the Government for not acting in good faith with the Federation.
"In your (salary) negotiations with the Ministry of Finance I make every effort... to keep abreast and to act as a broker of the dialogue where necessary," Dr. Phillips pleaded.
"Not good enough!" one policeman shouted.
"I do not intend to become the negotiator but I will continue and regard it as my duty to work along with the negotiating team to ensure the best possible settlement that can be arrived at," Dr. Phillips continued.
The Government and the Federation, which represents rank and file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), have been at loggerheads for some time, having failed to arrive at a settlement in a salary dispute that has dragged on for more than a year. Among its 24-point claim is a demand by the Federation for a 47 per cent hike in salary for its members.
Federation members, several weeks ago, staged a massive protest outside the offices of the Ministry of Finance, forcing Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies to have an impromptu dialogue with them.
Dr. Phillips' rough ride began when he suggested that members of the force "deserved the best that the nation can afford" given the ruthless nature of the criminals they face while putting their lives at risk to protect the country. Some members responded by heckling the minister.
Dr. Phillips however tried gallantly to weather the storm by insisting that he had no power to determine the outcome of the negotiations.
For his part, Opposition spokes-man on National Security, Derrick Smith, labelled the government's inability over the past year to reach a salary settlement with the police "a national disgrace".
"We are currently in a crisis in this country, as we are being overrun by criminals and we need the police to protect and serve now more than ever. Anyone who thinks that the police are cheap enough to be bought with a proposal of a one-time payment of a few thousand dollars should forget it," he said to thunderous applause from Federation members.
"Don't tell me that you are so constrained by the Memorandum of Understanding that you cannot make the police case a special case," Smith added. He was referring to the government's offer of a one-time payment of around $300 million to the police which would see each member taking home roughly $40,000.
