The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Police Staff Association will wait for the end of the police promotion exercises before pursuing legal action against the government for overtime pay, PSA lawyer Wayne Munroe told The Tribune.

The move is a precautionary measure to protect police officers from being victimized for participating in the impending lawsuit, he suggested.

In May, Mr Munroe said that he would give the government 28 days to respond to its letter requesting that it pay police $16.4 million in overtime, which he claims officers are owed.

But after National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage said the government will not pay for the overtime worked, Mr Munroe indicated that court action would be the next likely step.

“We are just waiting for it to be confirmed that the promotional exercise is over because we have to name police officers as nominal plaintiffs – a constable, a corporal, a sergeant and an inspector,” Mr Munroe said yesterday.

“One person from each rank will be representing every person from that particular rank. It’s our only hold up. We’re not saying (the government) will be spiteful, but we don’t want to unnecessarily expose anyone.”

PSA President Dwight Smith also told The Tribune that his association is just waiting for the competition of the promotional exercises before pursuing legal action against the government.

He also pointed to the length of time it is taking the government to complete the promotion exercise as the latest proof of how officers are taken for granted and mistreated in the country.

“The exercise as far as interviewing all the people is complete,” Mr Smith said. “We are satisfied that the commissioner did the best that he could do, but it is all before the government in the end and nothing has come off thus far. Them taking so long to announce the promotions is killing the morale of officers. The expectations of officers are high. I will write a letter to the commissioner about the hold-up. We are satisfied that the commissioner did a wonderful job in ensuring that everyone was interviewed but the wait for announcements has caused people to ask if someone is sabotaging the list or if names are being taken off. Don’t leave officers in suspense like this. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to announce promotions during the independence holidays?”

Mr Smith said he doesn’t expect officers to be punished during the promotion exercise for supporting overtime pay, but claimed that PSA executives have already been victimised.

To counteract a surge in violent crime, police officers last year were required to work a 12-hour work day for a period of time.

The move was criticised by some as being poorly managed, with some officers complaining about exhaustion and the lack of compensation.