The former PNM government took no decision on salary increases for police officers, since a former cabinet sub-committee had expressed concern about this and could not agree on it, Government House leader Roodal Moonilal said yesterday. "So do not mislead," Moonilal added, during debate on a bill concerning electronic records. "If we had electronic records, we wouldn't have people peddling untruths." Moonilal took issue with PNM MP Donna Cox who, he noted, had suggested to the House that the PNM had had salary hikes in store for police.
"I wish the MP for Laventille East was in the House now, as she is on public record suggesting that the former PNM government proposed top dollars for cops-40 per cent over three years," he said. "I wish she was here, as I would ask her to stand and say to us whether the former PNM government had agreed to salary increases for police officers-she cannot say that." Moonilal said he had been informed by the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) that the matter of increases first received attention in 2009 when the Police Social and Welfare Association submitted proposals on officers' terms and conditions for the CPO to review.
He said the Public Services Association sent a document proposing increases, to the National Security Ministry in 2009. Moonilal said he was further advised by the CPO that the document "did not have the blessing, agreement or consent" of the Public Sector Negotiations Committee, a subcommittee of the former Cabinet chaired by Dr Lenny Saith.
He said when the report was examined, the subcommittee expressed outrage and concern that T&T and the Government at the time could not pay salary increases because of the country's economic and financial condition and global financial uncertainties. "It is wrong and misleading to indicate that the former government had approved or agreed to pay salary increases for police when in fact the former government did not agree and expressed grave reservations about that report from National Security," Moonilal said.