Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has accused Government of betraying the very police officers charged with maintaining law and order, even as violent crime continues to spread fear.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Thorne condemned the administration’s failure to deliver on a long-standing promise to upgrade longserving constables to the rank of senior constable – a commitment first announced during the 2024 Budget and repeated during the St James North by-election campaign.
More than a year later, he said, the affected officers were still waiting on their promotions and corresponding salary increases.
“Constables with over 20 years of service have been given empty promises by this Government. They were told they would receive a new designation and higher pay. That has not happened. This is a blatant breach of trust. At the same time, these officers are being asked to sacrifice rest days to meet the demands of surging crime, while the Government refuses to honour its financial obligations to them,” Thorne said.
He revealed that several police officers recently appealed to the Opposition for help, expressing feelings of “helplessness and peril” over the way they are being treated.
Thorne tied the Government’s treatment of police officers to its broader failures in addressing crime, which he described as a crisis of both safety and governance. (CLM)
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