National Security Minister Carl Alfonso said yesterday that some senior members of law enforcement should not be selfish and retire when their time comes to do so.
Alfonso, a retired brigadier general of the T&T Defence Force, made the comment yesterday in an apparent response to acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams recent recommendation that the Government buy out the vacation leave of several senior officers.
Speaking during a graduation ceremony for 51 Crime Scene Investigators at the Ronaldo John Auditorium, Specialist Crime Academy, Camp Cumuto, Wallerfield, yesterday, Alfonso told the senior officers, “Yuh blocking.”
Earlier this week, Alfonso had confirmed he was in talks with Williams about purchasing the vacation leave of all the First Division officers who have in excess of 90 days vacation.
The idea, however, was objected to by the Police Social and Welfare Association, who said they were not consulted and the move would stymie the promotion of junior officers.
But towards the end of his feature address at yesterday’s graduation, Alfonso seemed to hint at his decision on the matter when he said: “When I was, whatever rank I was, I was hoping that the senior people move out so that I can move up.
“That being said, you may have to keep some for their expertise and what not, but when your time comes to go, go. It has to do with people behind you, in one word, yuh blocking.
“When it was my time to leave at 55 I left, not 55 and a day, no extension no buyout. For those of you who have reached retirement, my advice to you is to take your retirement go on a cruise and enjoy your pension.”
Asked to comment on the issue following the ceremony, Alfonso said he did not have a problem with purchasing the leave of the senior officers. But he said his personal view was that leave should not be bought out, adding he did not have a problem with Williams’ recommendation.
“One would want to believe he knows what he is doing and I didn’t want to appear to be challenging the commissioner. If he says I would like to buy out leave of X amount of people I would think he would have done his homework.
“He would have checked with whomever he had to check with, there would have been consultation before a decision was made. Now if that wasn’t done, you see what can happen is what has happened. The association was up in arms because they felt they were not consulted.
“Generally speaking I don’t like the buy out thing. I come from the army where we didn’t have that. This seems to be a new phenomenon where a lot of people seem to want to get money en lieu of their leave.”
He said, however, that if he is asked to take the buyout to Cabinet he will do so as he may not have a choice in the matter.
Williams, who was also present, refused to comment on Alfonso’s statements.