Philipsburg: ---- The management team of the Police Force of St. Maarten is the ones to be blamed for not complying with their duties to have the officers who are now protesting upgraded. So said members of the union when questions were posed to them by SMN News, ABVO representative Officer Josepha said police officers cannot submit themselves for promotion instead that lies with the management team of the local police force. Josepha admitted that the battle they are fighting today is not a matter that just surfaced but this has been an issue for at least 16 years. Josepha said the management team has to submit the recommendations to the Minister of Justice who would then execute by having a decree for the promotion. Unless that is done, the Minister of Justice cannot promote anyone. Josepha said there are officers who are working for the police force for over 16 years and is still in the same rank today, while officers in Curacao with less years than those in St. Maarten already has a higher rank. He said the same goes for Bonaire while the three islands, St. Maarten, Saba and Statia remains the same. He said the KPSSS has sergeants, then there is an open space, which has to be filed with majors following inspectors, and chief inspectors, something they said are a plight of the officers. Officer Carlyle Rogers from the NAPB said one of the things he wants to make clear is that the former Minister of Justice David Dick never promised them anything. He said that on the contrary, the matter was raised in several meetings but Dick maintained that he would not be sitting in the seats of the Chief Commissioners of police who are given a task. Rogers said Dick made clear that unless he gets the proposals he would not be able to promote anyone.
Dick calls Protest Unfair.
Former Minister of Justice David Dick who is also on the island in a statement to reporters said the police officers of KPSSS treated the new minister of justice rather unfair. Dick said a walk out is not a way to welcome anyone and its not a way to do business, instead the local police should have welcomed the new minister and sit around a table with her to discuss their grievances. His main concern is why the KPSSS officers did not take action earlier, why is it they did not do this three weeks ago he asked? Dick said the actions of the police on Monday and Tuesday gave a very bad image of the local police force. In his opinion, he said the unions and their members need to discuss the matter and if the officers are entitled to something then it would be given to them. He said if the management team had submitted a formal proposal then the officers would have been promoted. Asked if this matter was tabled during his tenure, Dick said the matter was raised but no formal request was ever given to him for promotion.
Dick disagreed with statements made by the unions who said that the officers from the other islands were upgraded while St. Maarten was not, he said everybody knows of the court cases and the complaints that were made by the other islands that were officially dealt with. Dick said if St. Maarten had raised their concern’s they too would have been dealt with but the (KPSSS) has lots of chiefs but no Indian.
Police Officers from KPSSS continued their daylong meetings on Tuesday with their unions and other representatives. The officers started their meeting at the office of the Windward Island Civil Servant Union.
They then entered into a meeting with members of the executive council along with the Chief of Police prior to their scheduled meeting with the Minister of Justice Magali Jacoba.
In the meeting with the executive council SMN News learnt that the officers mostly sergeants who have been waiting for their promotion for almost 16 years expressed their grievances. Addressing the officers who met at the A.C Wathey Legislative Hall was leader of Government William Marlin.
In a statement to reporters members of the union said, they were satisfied with the outcome of the meetings. Carlyle Rogers member of the NAPB said the meeting with the executive council went terrific, as they were able to lay out their grievances on the table. He said the chief of police (Lt. Governor) Franklyn Richards has promised to look into the matter while the executive council was extremely happy to learn of the situation. Rogers said the answers given to them were fruitful and it is what they had expected to hear from their leaders. Asked what can the executive council do to improve or regulate their situation Rogers said one of the ‘sticking points” for separate status is justice and that means that the police force has to be in order, he said the leaders who are pursuing the new status need to know what type of police force they have and what would be needed in the new setting.
Rogers said the mere fact the executive council lend a listening ear to the grievances of the police is a step in the right direction especially when it comes to country St. Maarten. ABVO representative Josepha said in that meeting they were able to outline their grievances and it was only then the Chief of Police said he would deal with the matter with the management team of the police force.
He said regarding the meeting held with the Minister and State Secretary the answers were fruitful. Rogers further explained that what took place on Monday was indeed an unfortunate situation for the new Minister of Justice. He said Jacoba not only hit the ground running but she hit it in the battlefield. Rogers said they promised to have fruitful discussions in the future prior to taking action, while the Minister also guaranteed them she was going to look into the matter.
Rogers agreed the Minister only had one week in office and she needed to be given the benefit of the doubt. He said that while the unions did not put an ultimatum to the Minister they are expecting her to take actions in record time. Rogers could not say if the police would return to normal duty on Wednesday but said they would make a decision after meeting with their members.
In an invited comment the Minister of Justice said the officers promised to return to work on Wednesday, asked about the meeting she held with the unions, she said that was part of her program and that the leader of government William Marlin and the Lt. Governor seems to have addressed the issues the police has.
