The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

EXECUTIVES from staff associations at the nation's top six essential security groups yesterday united to petition the government to put the "backbones" of society first as they showed their frustration at the lack of progress in negotiations for improved conditions.

Representatives from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Department of Correctional Services, Department of Immigration, Department of Customs and the Road Traffic Department claimed that the only way to advance the plight of public officers were to come together.

Police Staff Association (PSA) executive chairman Dwight Smith said that, as individual organisations, their cries for fair treatment and improved working environments have gone unheard by a government to focused on foreign groups to hear the cries of local patriots. He said there was now strength in numbers.

"It was already tough to survive, now we have a new tax," Mr Smith said. "A tax that runs on everything, prescription medicine plus VAT, surgeon charges plus VAT, assistant surgeon charges plus VAT- everything plus VAT. The question now becomes how can we afford these things while are pay remains the same?"

According to Mr Smith the government has made a decision to "individually work around" concerns by the independent association. "It is our hope that they realise that the security forces of this nation are hurting. We work to protect and secure this nation, the organisations here represent the backbone of the Bahamian society.

"The issues are the primary reason all of us came together. The government is working to better our economy, working to develop culture with carnival, building a number of buildings; we ask them simply to slow down and hear the cries of their people," the recently re-elected Chairman said.

Bahamas Prison Officers Association (BPOA) President Sgt Gregory Archer added that group represented more than 5,000 officers around the country that are on the front lines, risking their lives to secure The Bahamas daily. He indicated that the issue of compensating officers in all areas should take precedence due to the nature of their work.

Sgt Archer said: "I find it hard to understand why a successful government can't make time to sit and communicate with the men that they employ to protect and serve this country. We work these jobs everyday, we know the problems we are faced with, our insurance issues need to be addressed and so does our wage issue.

"The government has seen it fit, for some reason, not to sit with us and speak on these important matters. This is a blatant disrespect to us. We just want an opportunity to sit and communicate on these matters."

Last month, over a three-day period, the majority of officers rostered to work at the Department of Correctional Services called in sick. Senior staff members indicated that “festering” issues have been left unresolved by government officials for months.

Sgt Archer said at the time that issues at the prison had gone way beyond a prison issue, claiming that a lack of response to "dire matters" had pushed complaints to a national level. Mr Archer said that prison officers deserved more respect.

Mr Smith added: "The cost of living has gone up astronomically and our pay cheques have remained the same. We realise that there is strength in numbers and the more voices you have, the louder the sound you make will be. We don't want to be handed the world; we simply ask that we are able to earn a comfortable living.

"We have already petitioned the government. They indicated in November of last year that there are some aspects of our demands that need to be tweaked in order to be heard. Those adjustments have been made and forwarded to the them. To this date, those issues haven't been responded to.

"We are placed in stressful situations on a daily basis, our lives and livelihood are constantly at risk. In 2013 the government made a move that affected our insurance plan dramatically. Premium rates were increased to a degree that made it difficult for our officers to maintain. Also in some areas the deductible increased with that.

"Many of our officers that retired are still suffering from difficult health conditions and can't afford to spend $800 per month to keep a medical insurance, but they need it. At max an officer might receive nearly $1,500 in pension payments," said Mr Smith.