Optical company stops eye exams for cops

HUNDREDS of police officers may be hampered in the performance of their duties because of poor vision. They are in need of having their eyes examined or their eye glasses replaced, but Sunday Newsday was informed yesterday that police officers have been turned away for the past three months from an optical firm because of outstanding payments owed to them by the Government. The optical firm has suspended the account of the police service until further notice. The ministry bears part of the cost of medical bills for policemen, optical examination and prescription eye glasses being one of them. President of the Police Services Social Welfare Division (Second Division), Christopher Holder, confirmed yesterday that many policemen and women were turned away by the company. The firm issued an inter-office memo which stated that its account with the police service has been suspended after discussions to settle outstanding payments proved unsatisfactory. Sunday Newsday learned that some of the outstanding bills dated back to the year 2000.

Holder said the ability of policemen to have optimum vision was a “serious matter in investigative work.” The police service comprises approximately 6,800 active police officers and Holder said that lack of vision, triggering the need to wear eye glasses, usually creeps in at age 40. He was unable to disclose how many police officers could not have eye examinations done for the past three months. Police officers are examined by a police services doctor who recommends the respective medical treatment. In the case of an officer needing an eye examination, he or she collects a voucher from the Police Administration in Port-of-Spain. The voucher is redeemable at Ferreira’s Optical. Branch manager of Ferreira’s Optical in Port-of-Spain, Marsha Taylor, referred Sunday Newsday to the optical firm’s accountant, Ibironka Cunningham. Asked about the outstanding account balance, Taylor said: “I don’t want to make any comment. I think you should speak to the firm’s accountant, Miss Cunningham.” Taylor, however, confirmed being aware of a directive issued to its various branches informing staff not to accept vouchers for optical services from police officers. Sunday Newsday was unable to contact Cunningham or the firm’s sales and marketing manager, Sean Francis.

Holder, who said that the association intends to raise the matter with the appropriate authorities admitted that estimates submitted by police administration to the ministry for payments may have been lower than the actual cost of the optical bills. “It could be also that funds have not been released, but we first have to investigate,” Holder added. Reiterating that proper vision was critical in police work, Holder said that police officers do a tremendous amount of writing in investigative work. “It is my hope that those who have been turned back, are not in dire need of eye glasses. Accuracy of vision is critical in police work,” Holder said. The sum of $600 is Government’s contribution for eye examination, lenses or frames, Holder said. But the actual cost usually exceeds $1,500, he added. Saying that Government’s contribution was fixed since the 1970s, Holder said that the association would soon be calling for a review of Government’s contribution toward police officer’s health plan.