Cops vote today

The polls will be opened from 6 am. Officers will vote at selected police stations and at mobile units.

Former chairman of the Elections Committee and adviser Dennis Kennedy told Newsday preparations for the election has been “going smoothly” and said a “high voter turnout is expected”.

Kennedy said there are six teams contesting the election and two independents for the post of president.

Outgoing president Emrol Bruce said he felt “very sad” because he was not able to settle negotiations and secure the best interests of officers.

Last Friday, Bruce and the members of his outgoing executive granted cash awards of $300 each to 26 officers of the Western Division, including members of the Defence Force, for their conduct on two exercises before and after the general election, in May, where several high- powered rifles and ammunition were seized and persons arrested. The unit was also given a commemorative plaque.

Among those honoured were PC Jamiella Joseph-Francis, Cpl Andre Reyes, PC Marcus Jupiter, PC Ian Charles, PC Lutchman Ramdass and PC Cheryl Gibson, Private Akeido Sampson and Private Dexter Tom.

Presidential hopeful, Glen Teesdale, of Team Camp, said he would press for a settlement of salary negotiations and lobby for housing for the police, if he wins.

“We will try to complete negotiations early. We hope that this government will follow through with plans of a reasonable pay to officers. We will also work on the promotion process, we have already indicated that consideration will definitely have to be with respect to legislation.”

The Transparency Accountability and Good Governance (TAG) Team also promises to address several matters including better working conditions, the regularisation of acting appointments for second division officers, and salary negotiations.

The TAG Team, which is led by Sgt Terrence Pierre, is optimistic that their campaign has been a successful one, pointing out that their group is focussing on the personal issues which affect police officers. The other candidates include Inspector Curtis Paul, Inspector Joey Samaroo, Sgt Maynard Wilson, Sgt Auldric Neptune, Cpl Lester Kerr and WPC Rhona Charles.

“Our campaign is centred more around remembering that police officers are people and that they should be treated as people. We are about representation with a difference, focussed on the members of the Association, because without the members, there is no Association,” Pierre explained.

Pierre said the regularisation of acting appointment positions would be a priority. He explained there were two systems existing simultaneously which were causing problems for promotions and standardisation of positions in the Police Service.

The TAG Team is also prepared to tackle issues regarding promotions.

“No longer would an officer be debarred from promotions once an allegation has been made or is pending against him or her. This practise is wrong and is not in keeping with the constitutional concept of innocent until proven guilty,” Pierre said.

The TAG Team is also focussed on engaging in vigorous actions to commence re-negotiations for salaries for police officers.