PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Trinidad’s Attorney General Anand Ramlogan on Sunday told the Trinidad Express newspaper that he will advise Cabinet on its legal options should police officers stay away from the job on Monday, since the planned day of “rest and reflection” by police officers on Monday appears to be a strike which is illegal and will not be condoned by the Government.
The day of “rest and reflect” is police officers way of demonstrating their disgust with the Chief Personnel Officer’s (CPO) offer of a five per cent increase in salaries.
He said, “I intend to review the situation and advise Cabinet on the legal options available in the event the strike action materialises and is on a scale that causes disruption and chaos in society.
“Our main priority is the security and safety of the citizenry. It is my hope that good sense will prevail and dialogue continues as the association has missed and cancelled meetings with the Government on such issues, and such conduct is not conducive to an amicable resolution of this issue.”
The Attorney General continued, “It is a well orchestrated and publicly organised form of industrial action that leaves society exposed. It would be disingenuous and absurd for anyone to say that the utilisation of sick or casual leave can give legal protection to this strike.
“The idea that thousands of police officers by sheer coincidence, simultaneously fall ill or decide to go to the beaches is preposterous.”
Ramlogan said: “The Government has taken a sensible, constructive approach in the wage negotiation, favouring meaningful dialogue over any ‘big stick’ policy, that said, has a duty to protect citizens as the clear intention and natural consequences of this action puts the citizens of the country at risk.”
He also advised medical doctors who may attempt to issue fraudulent medical certificates to police officers that they could face possible criminal and disciplinary action.
Meantime National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister Gary Griffith in a statement to the Express said “Anyone (police officer) who deliberately attempts to put the lives of any law-abiding citizen at risk, I would refer to them also as a criminal and if anyone does this, knowing the danger that the law-abiding citizens may encounter, then they should be treated as criminals as well and condemned as such.”
He said “I do hope that good sense would prevail.”
On Friday, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, during a walkabout in downtown Port of Spain, warned officers that “We will not stand idly by and witness this wanton act of abandonment and dereliction of duty take place without an appropriate measured response.”
Persad-Bissessar, National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy and Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs have stated that contingency plans have been put in place should officers decide to “rest and relax” on Monday.
