Bookmark Jamaica-Gleaner.com
Go-Jamaica Gleaner Classifieds Discover Jamaica Youth Link Jamaica
Business Directory Go Shopping inns of jamaica Local Communities

Home
Lead Stories
News
Business
Sport
Commentary
Letters
Entertainment
The Shipping Industry
Caribbean
International
The Star
E-Financial Gleaner
Overseas News
The Voice
Communities
Hospitality Jamaica
Google
Web
Jamaica- gleaner.com

Archives
1998 - Now (HTML)
1834 - Now (PDF)
Services
Find a Jamaican
Library
Live Radio
Weather
Subscriptions
News by E-mail
Newsletter
Print Subscriptions
Interactive
Chat
Dating & Love
Free Email
Guestbook
ScreenSavers
Submit a Letter
WebCam
Weekly Poll
About Us
Advertising
Gleaner Company
Contact Us
Other News
Stabroek News

Police ultimatum - Federation plans action if wage demands are not met
published: Tuesday | October 4, 2005

Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter


A very vocal Inspector Ethel Halliman expresses her views about the present wage impasse between rank-and-file police and Government. She was among hundreds of police personnel from across the island who attended a mass meeting, called by the Police Federation, on Ocean Boulevard in downtown Kingston yesterday. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

THE POLICE Federation has given the G,overnment until 10:30 this morning to deliver a suitable response to the Jamaica Constabulary Force's (JCF) demands for a wage increase, or face "swift and decisive action".

At a mass meeting of rank-and-file police officers at the Kingston waterfront yesterday, general secretary of the federation, Corporal Hartley Stewart said the federation would be meeting with National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips at 10:00 a.m. today. He said that if no suitable solution to the wage and fringe benefits impasse is offered by the minister within half an hour of the meeting, then the rank-and-file members of the JCF would be told immediately what to do next.

He did not say exactly what the federation would be asking the police to do, but when he spoke with The Gleaner after the meeting, he noted that the action would be firm and far-reaching. "Maybe we have not been giving enough trouble. I think the time has come to give more trouble," he said.

The Government and police have been involved in wage negotiations for the past 17 months, meeting more than 30 times. But these negotiations are at a deadlock.

Police Federation chairman, Corporal Raymond Wilson, in his address to the few hundred policemen and women who turned out for yesterday's meeting, said word would be announced this evening on action to be taken by the police tomorrow morning.

FALSE REPORTS

He also said that contrary to some media reports, the police have not agreed to accept a one-off payment of $40,000 for each member. He contended that the government is intentionally issuing false reports, in an effort to "divide and conquer".

Businessman Mark Azan, who was also at the meeting, urged the police to hold firm to their demands. "Governments that have nation building at heart respect the need to have a well-trained and well-paid police force," he said to thunderous applause.

Yesterday's meeting was scantily attended, however, the members of the JCF who did turn up, were forceful in their call for an immediate solution to the situation. From songs to dub poetry, the policemen and women used several methods to voice their opinions. One such method, was an impromptu rendition of "Don't you trouble the police, the police have the key to lock down the country."

More Lead Stories



Print this Page

Letters to the Editor

Most Popular Stories







































© Copyright 1997-2005 Gleaner Company Ltd.
Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Letters to the Editor | Suggestions | Add our RSS feed
Home - Jamaica Gleaner