Senior police officers in Trinidad & Tobago threaten to resign

According to Wednesday's edition of the Trinidad Express newspaper, senior police officers in Trinidad & Tobago, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police and a Senior Superintendent, have threatened to resign following the Government’s decision to purchase the leave of Assistant Commissioner of Police Wayne Dick for half-a-million dollars.

The Express said it was " reliably informed that on Monday, the T&T Police Service Social and Welfare Association held a meeting with its membership, in which these promises were made."

It said the men threatened they would immediately withdraw their services if one of two scenarios did not take place: that the Government reneged on its decision, or the association was successful in legal action to prevent/reverse the purchase.

This was confirmed on Tuesday, the newspaper said, by association secretary Michael Seales in an interview: “Yes, that is correct. There were about three senior officials who offered their resignations at the meeting itself, but those were the ranks of the two most senior officers. This is a reflection of the level of unhappiness and dissatisfaction that this decision has brought upon the association and its membership, especially since it was made without consultation with the (acting) Commissioner of Police (Stephen Williams) or the executive of the association. This is because our members are coming to us because they believe this decision affects them directly in terms of consequential promotions, upward movement and the terms and conditions that they are governed by. Some of our membership are also asking, why him and not us?"

Last Thursday, Cabinet made a decision to purchase Dick’s leave.