JAMAICA MAY be reeling from record levels of crime, but based on feedback from some private security companies, last week's 47-hour sick-out by rank-and-file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force did not see citizens pushing the panic button.

Most of the companies with whom The Sunday Gleaner spoke say they saw little increase in business, though Robert Blake of Atlas Protection Limited reported that some clients took no chances and beefed up security.

"This came primarily from the formalised sector including banks which wanted additional patrols and more of a presence," said Mr. Blake. "Our number of visits doubled from two to four and we increased the complement of armed guards."

In contrast, his counterparts at Hawkeye Electronic Security Limited, Guardsman Alarms and Electro-Guard Limited, said it was business as usual.

Rockey Allen at Hawkeye said there were 'no additional demands' while Commander George Overton at Guardsman said that the situation was similar to May when the disgruntled cops went on sick-out to demand improved wages from Government.

"From our perspective, there was no noticeable increase because what the clients need they already have in place," he said.

Over at Electro-Guard, Donovan Callum said: "From our point of view, our clients did not want an increase in security and there were no new clients."

In a story published in The Sunday Gleaner earlier this year, several persons said they had sought the services of private security companies to fortify their businesses or homes because of the high crime rate. The police say over 900 murders have been committed in 2005.

The Police Federation, which has been at odds with the Government over what they say is the inadequate salaries of rank-and-file members (constables, corporals, sergeants and inspectors), went on sick-out, Tuesday, to press home their point.

- H.C.

THE POLICE Federation was last night still waiting for the Government to set the date, time and place for a meeting to discuss the ongoing salary impasse which led to a two-day police sick-out last week.

Corporal Raymond Wilson, chairman of the Police Federation, told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday that it was the Government that usually decided on the schedule for such meetings and that a recent letter from State Minister for Finance, Fitz Jackson, failed to indicate when the discussions should take place.

"It has never been the Police Federation that sets the date for the meeting," Corporal Wilson said.

But earlier yesterday, Mr. Jackson said he believed claims that the Government had yet to respond to the federation's willingness to get back to the bargaining table were seriously inaccurate.

"We consider (that statement) serious because the public is being led to believe that the Government doesn't want to sit with the federation and that is not so at all," Mr. Jackson said.

He said that after the Police Federation rejected the Government's proposal for a one-off payment of $40,000, a letter was sent from the Government indicating it was unable to pay any more, given the obligations to the memorandum of understanding.

The Police Federation is demanding $200,000 for each of the rank-and-file members of the police force.

Mr. Jackson said the letter also indicated that, "we are willing and ready to sit with the federation at a mutually agreed time."

Mr. Jackson said: "We are not prepared to sacrifice the economic stability of the country and to disregard the sacrifice other members of the public sector are prepared to make and have been making to satisfy their (police) wishes."

Yesterday, Corporal Wilson said the rank-and-file members of the police force remained frustrated.