The Police Social and Welfare Association has rejected a five per cent wage offer made by Chief Personnel Officer Stephanie Lewis.President of the association, Sgt Anand Ramesar, in a telephone interview yesterday, said members of the association would therefore not work any extra hours over the Carnival season.He said the association held two meetings this month with the CPO on negotiations."We were offered five per cent by the CPO and we have totally rejected it," he said.
"Our proposal has mandated us to accept an offer of 40 per cent...We consider the CPO to be negotiating in bad faith.Ramesar said police officers would not be working any extra hours than they legally required."We are not going to make ourselves available for voluntary Carnival duties," he said."Police officers are now disengaging from working the extra hours outside of the normal 40 hours."
"We are asking that citizens be wary of the situation and take the necessary precautions when partying...The level of security they have been continually experiencing will now be reduced."Ramesar said it was not a position the association would like to adopt."We feel betrayed, undervalued, and not recognised for the risks associated with our jobs.He said the association was not told about the new crime plan, due to be implemented today."We are hearing about a crime plan to take effect from today," he said."We are confused because we had no discussions on these issues and we do not understand how any crime plan will succeed when the entire service is demotivated by this offer."A report in an other newspaper yesterday said that a new crime plan would take effect today.