There will no police presence for Sunday’s Panorama semifinals and at all other major Carnival events.
So said president of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association Insp Anand Ramesar.
He added if Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar did not intervene immediately and settle salary negotiations before Sunday then the country’s security would be threatened.
Speaking at a press conference at the Besson Street Police Station, Port-of-Spain, yesterday Ramesar said members of the Police, Prisons and Fire Services were still receiving 2008 salaries.
His sentiments were echoed by president of the Prisons Service Association Ceron Richards and Leo Ramkisoon, president of the Fire Services Association.
Ramesar claimed there was a “constructive delay” by the chief personnel officer to proceed with salary negotiations.
He added: “What we are seeing is a volatile situation in the Police Service and members have been calling us the entire day and indicating to us they are not going to work for Panorama and that is a situation which we consider to be extremely worrisome and a threat to public safety.
“We are clear in our minds that it is not a situation which the Commissioner of Police could treat with nor the Minister of National Security.
“It is clearly a membership issue to the point where we need an intervention by an authority that can address the situation,” Ramesar added.
He said the association believed it did not have the morale authority to sway members from staying away from the job.
“The members believe the CPO has been procrastinating in providing the necessary information for salary negotiations to proceed. Nobody short of the Prime Minister could treat with this issue,” Ramesar added.
Richards said prisons officers were frustrated and fed up, so much so that inmates were brought to the respective courts late yesterday. He said based on the slow pace of negotiations the enthusiasm of prisons officers had dwindled.
He accused the CPO of “robbing” police, fire and prisons officers of the opportunity to negotiate in an effective and proper manner.
“Just last week we met with the CPO and efforts to frustrate the process continue. Members of the Prisons Service have been frustrated where there is a serious slowdown in the operations in the east and in Port-of-Spain,” Richards added.
Ramkisoon said he was also unable to report to his membership as to where negotiations stood.
“We need to convey to our members a genuine attempt by the Government to treat with the issues. We are seeing clearly there is no real or genuine effort to place and offer on the table,” Ramkisoon claimed.