The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Good day. I would be grateful if you would kindly allow me some space in your newspaper to address some matters of concern.

I’ve listened to the Honourable Perry Gladstone Christie, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Bernard Nottage, Minister of National Security, who stated in the Budget Debate, that there will be an increase for the Reserves who work from 150 to 200 hours per month.

That is all well and good for those Officers who have been working these hours for a long time. Please let me know if consideration was given to the Officers who could only put in 100 hours per month?

According to the Labour Laws, no one is required to work more than eight hours per day and 40 hours per week. Anytime after those hours is considered overtime.

By raising the Reserves hours, if each Reservist worked the 200 hours, they would have to work about 10 hours per day.

If you really look into it, the Reserves are working for less than minimum wage.

The Reserves have been working these hours from March and have yet to be paid, after been told that they could start those 200 hours from March.

Today, the Reserves are the strong back of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

They work in every section of The Police Force, and in some divisions, if the Reservist don’t work those departments, they would have one or two regular police on duty.

When they do go to work in those departments, they are given no respect.

There are some Superintendents who do not have an office at a Station, and they have to sit in the charge room.

I do think that rather than increasing the hours, they should have given an increase of at least .50.

There has not been an increase in over 35 years. I do believe there would have been less with the increase in pay, than the 200 hours.

As for uniform, the Reserves are asked to work just about every major event they can, but many do not have uniforms to accommodate the work load.

There are many officers who were promoted from Sergeant to Inspector and above do not have any uniform as of yet.

Every time the Regular Police get any extra monies, as per uniform and other incentives, the Reservist gets nothing. Please help those hard working and dedicated Officers and The Reservists.

They have Insurance with Colina, but that Insurance does not work. There were two Reservists who got hurt on the job.

One Officer was attacked by another Police Officer, he went to Doctors Hospital and was unable to be seen by a Doctor.

Another Officer was hurt while working, again the Officer had a problem seeing the Doctor, because the Insurance did not work and something needs to be done about that Insurance.

The powers that be know about this and nothing is being done, the Reservists need someone to look out for them.

I express my heartfelt thanks to you for affording me the opportunity to voice my concerns in your newspaper.

A LAW ENFORCER

Nassau,

August 4, 2016.