The Police Welfare Association (PWA) will be meeting its members Friday May 30, 2014 to discuss government’s salary proposal and from all indications it is expected to be “hot and fiery.”
The government has written to the PWA requesting that members take a zero percent increase in pay for the period 2012 to 2015 and it appears they are in no mood to accept the proposal.
“We will be meeting our members to discuss what they have proposed but I can tell you that it is not good and members have already started to agitate and express their disapproval to what is, and has been proposed,” chairman of the PWA, Jefferson Drigo, stated.
The executive of the PWA has already met to discussed the matter and it is to be discussed by the general membership at Friday’s meeting.
“We have discussed it as an executive and now we are heading to the membership,” Drigo explained. “That is where we are at presently. From what we are seeing it is not pleasant and not what we have been looking for.”
Meantime the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) is expressing disappointment at what it describes as “tardiness, time wasting and feet dragging” in the salary negotiations with the government.
According to the DPSU General Secretary, Thomas Letang, the union was expecting by now a government proposal on the matter, but this has not been the case.
“It was agreed when we met and they said it would have been forthcoming,” he said. “Until now we have not received anything. We have no idea of what is holding them up, they have all the information and statistics that is required and we are disappointed and unhappy.”
He said the matter will be of top priority for DPSU’s new executive.
“We are in May of 2014 and are approaching the end of the triennium, soon we will have negotiations for the next triennium,” Letang noted. “We are not happy and very disappointed in the feet dragging of the government.”
Letang has also expressed disappointment at the results of a recent job classification exercise conducted by the government.
“The job classification is another issue and we have come to the conclusion that government will not implement the recommendations,” he stated. “It seems costly to them much more than they have anticipated. We have asked for it in writing. We need to know what it is we are taking to our membership. We need something official and for whatever reason(s) that is not forth coming.”
He noted that the DPSU is greatly disappointed in this.
“To say that we are disappointed is an understatement, we are more than disappointed,” Letang remarked.
They Politicains know that is the least educated that join de Police Force most of the time,no disrespect to the Police so they can talk that bullshit now,if there were more educated man with degrees especially in administration they would never say so.They want puppets in the Police Force.How can you offer a para-military Organization zero percent with crime on the increase worldwide.Nowadays is cypercrime and chemical crime so we need more people with specialized crimefighting skills to join and be critical thinkers.Crime must increase when u cant pay for what you have,so how are you going to pay for a better and qualified Police Officers when spohisticated crimes start,oh i am sorry this people cant detect crime cause they are to busy bringing down their fellow Police Officers instead practicing ésprit de corps.
Well there is suppose to be money for all the promises-hotels, farmers boat, toilets and toilet paper, indoor sports complex, feeder roads, st Joe poverty alleviation, 1500 houses, more duty free for Krazy, ball fields all over Roseau South, IPO’s for supporters one would think there is an account to provide a descent raise for civil servants after getting on 1/2 percent raise
I also heard that there will be a $400 deduction from the constables who already earn the least in the force.
I also heard that there will be a $400 deduction from the constables who earn the least in the force.
How do you all expect the govt to make blood out of stone. You can run the country dry. The finance minister knows what he is doing. Cry differently.
stop talking none sense you maybe unemployed without a mortgage so you can say this! at the same time the minister salary have been increased by 150%! its not about politics here its about the struggle to survive in this country. The people who are driving the $100,000 SUV will not feel this.
Hello and good afternoon my people. How can the Government offer Zero Percent to our Police officers when cost of living keep going up. The Police need to have a job action by slowing down because they aren’t allow to strike so a job action is necessary . Mr Letang you are the head of the Union that negotiate wage increase for your members therefore you must take a stronger position. Just reading Mr Letang statements it seems like he is a weak leader therefore he should be remove as the Union Leader. I say give our Officer 5 %,10 % and 5 % raises.
That’s a slap to the face of the Police.
Dominicans will support the Drug dealers, and Criminals in all shape ad sizes when will we really upgrade into that Godly nation… Good over Evil
Thats too much for them (0,0 and 0%) Skerro you should give them -5 ,-4,-3%. some of those police officers too labour partisan. Not too long ago one told me Skerro is the best thing that happen to Dominica and he will always vote for him again. take what allu get…… le ban mayshanste!
I like that, i really like that, so right.
cant believe dem fellars . De man man have so much money wasting and cant pay the law men that providing him with maximum security. The police need to close down this country.
We don’t need police anyway I bet if there was no police we would all get along better….
That is what Mills have to focus on. Unless maybe he getting his cut another way. 0%, 0%, 0% for Police, and Ministers, prime minister and President swimming in sweet oil. The media must come downstairs Ministry on a Wednesday morning to see the number of people that are there for assistance. Everyday I live I am seeing a need for change. CHANGE IS A MUST! NOT AN OPTION!
in the 25 years that i have been exercising my adult suffrage i have realized that before every change of government the Police and the Government does always have a clash of salary increase..
i am wondering if these is a revelation or repeat of history
PWA is a joke. Letang is the same. They will accept a compromise of 1%
So, youall don’t know after Skirret read all this, that he will come and say “ok take half% (1/2%) And look like the saviour again?
The Government said economy is growing. They said things are good. Well, take that. More evidence that things are bad in the Country. BUt the people are still RED HOT. ALAS PA PA
So Dominicans can’t open their eyes and see things are falling apart?
if economy was growing, why can’t people get an increase? what is the inflation rate for the 2013-2015 period.? The the very least people should get a the inflation rate and increases should be partly based on internal reviews.
Skerrrit better vcall elections early, because I suspect the longer he wait, the more votes the DLP will loss. TOO TOO much …
You can build road, you can build palace, but real development is measured by GDP. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT..
Brothers i feel your pain; having spent an given my entire life for my country i wish we could be treated with more respect; 0%? what about the hundreds of persons that the G/ovt recently employed as a political ploy; the number of advisers being paid big salaries for doing nothing; the greedy persons who continue to bleed the RED clinic an contribute zero to the economy of the state. Like Bob Marley said when “i work i must get paid” hold strong the best is yet to come.
Why negotiate with one union at a time. We all damn well know that if police get 0% teachers and other public servants will get that to. There is a need for all to come together and have one negotiation . Too much papyshow in this little country….
Tony, Charlie Jung, Ambassador Ho and the gang…..even the villas, the mansion and the state malice are laughing at us.
One set are eating all.
Skerrit should have gone in medicine instead of Govt, only clinics he opening
Give them 0% .They were singing for their supper at the Labour Party rally The Hunter, The Mills. Let Petter pay for Paul. 0% 0% 0%, I say
Tonight you will hear Skerrit saying Dominica is the best performing country in the entire Caribbean.
But that good for the police. Too much dam politics in this force..
I would send all of them packing and recruit disciplined people.
Comrade!! been there done that! The more things changed the more it stays the same. I had the honor to serve on Two police welfare Executive many moons ago And be advise we were together Esprit Décor Not the proper spelling cause the computer will not allow me to get away with it}”. was in full effect” Despite all that just as you`re advocating for your members as you should! there are some who stand to benefit crooking you right at this moment. That’s the sad part comrade. My advise to you if its your bread and butter. Watch your back! the reality is you cannot be too cocky and over never negotiate in the media or else you will be transferred to Delices or Capuchin, while in your sleep. But good luck Comrade, that’s big man thing.” Hold your own” but do not lift your hope too high. It`s part of the game and it will continue to be long after you leave the force. Just remember that!!! It was lush Green at the time. Now it red hot” Just don’t get burn.
1
i concur
Skerrit just tell them Dominica has the best FISCAL PRUDENCE (even if you don’t know a heck about what you talking about) and is doing the best in all the Caribbean economies.
Tell them that in Bay- Gay -Yeah style!
Don’t give tham more than the 0 %. That’s what they deserve. They are part of the spoil too.
Some were even in motorcade.
Those police that are laborites don’t need increase because they getting their own from the red clinic and besides life is good for them. I want an increase like that of the P.M so I can continue to pay taxes to maintain the red clinic they have giving lazy people money.
tell the prime minister lower his salary by 10% and divide it of the men and women that risking they life to keep peace and other in this country. 7% for the teachers who stress them self to make sure our children learn, 8% for the nurses that look after the sick so we can be a healthy think that is only 25% and that not hurting him and it will never just take a look at his salary closely and tell me that can not. he can do it he and his ministers can lower their salaries for the love of country and stop their red clinic or wat ever they call it, we are hard working people and it should be so for ever, not looking for minister to put their hand in they pockets and say “look u see where it come out” cause it come from hard working people and go in they pockets to flash, buy me and u off while they don’t spend a cent for their own bills and food. $96.000 with out tax wat u think of that most people only getting something like 14,400 and still have to pay tax, bills and food wat u think of that
I thought DOMINICA was doing better than the rest of the caribbean, looks like we are about to join the club where governments are offering zero percent to public servants or retrenchment, St Lucia under Labar as well as Barbados under LAbAR. While appointments at GIS and DBS are given with increases police officers are offered zero, while consultants and advisers are renewing contracts with increases the rest of the public service and Police are not as fortunate to be given a decent increase. I thought there is talk about millions for development in St. Joe while police are offered zero. Where are the millions going to come from?
Roosevelt Skerrit what are u doing to Dominica? I work 6 days a week to feed my wife and four children and pay all my taxes by law, u take my taxes and give people who don’t work and refuse to give me my increase and every month my expenses getting higher, why are u so wicked?
I guess they think all police supporting them, like the one they have singing on the platform.Give him no increase that is not part of his job! If it was me they would seeeee
What o persent that do make sense with this high cost of living, those responsible think differently, we need to be treated better.
Officer Drigo you are handicapped by these policemen like the who got three stipes in less than no time.He went to NYC to spy on a Dominican meeting in 2009.
Tell your members at your May 30th meeting to vote for a change of government. Otherwise you are wasting your time Officer.
Within the past year the police force has incurred over 500 k in lawsuits from incompetent execution of duties. To date i have not heard anything from the police commisioner nor the deputy on what they have put in place to remedy the cituation. i am not a supporter of this government because of the way they managed this country, however to be fair how can you expect raises whem so much money have been spent on lawsuits.
On the other hand government ministers were able to get 50% raise and invested over 50 million on geothermal expansion, plus over 300 million rec. from sale of passports. So from period 2012 to 2015 you shoul at least get 3%.
The labour party is boasting of doing well and skerrit is handling countries finances efficiently yet still civil servants cannot get a raise. I want to see how long you guys stay and take such disrespect.
We need to stand up against that government who is using the country money to break ground everywhere…. To pay Chinese to carry out propaganda… And to line their pockets… Drigo I have your back… I will be there
Drigo forget dem man have to pay LIME for de free WIFI, bus drivers, truck drivers, de ppl dey pay to go St Joe, de HUNTER, de POLICE VOCALIST for de Petite Savanne Band, de MILL BALOON BLOWER INSPECTOR. Oh i almost forget! Tomorrow is RED CLINIC and don’t forget THURSDAY SPECIAL CLINIC at Vieille Case. Oh God de house for Graneau in Concorde doh finish and furnish yet, plus all de INCOMPETENT Parl. Reps dat have to step aside. PWA let us just accept de zero percent because we have de best economy in de OECS. Take de zero percent fast I have to send money for my siblings in de USA and if i get plenty back pay, i will have to send a barrel for dem to although i don’t know what to put in it yet.
i love it… perfect timing for us to move to national protest and take over that god damn ministry. Right time
You in your diaspora looking for riot in Da but you will never get it.
All now so i PEE PEE ING on me, and i do not even have a mop at my home. Laugh i laughing so., and happy i happy so over the 0% increase!!!!!!
NOT TO GIVE THEM MORE THAN THAT 0% SKERRIT!
0% is their rightful due. So many of them were openly campaigning and now they want increase! NO WAY!
So Skerrit going around the island announcing all kinds of spending for his pet projects and in the same breath he tells police officers he is not going to increase their salary?
These guys are really funny.
Red officers in blue uniforms. The PWA just like the DPSU is a toothless tiger. They are going to have to live with the 0% salary proposal. It’s better to a small salary than nothing at all.
is all you the police that doing skerit dem dirty work so take what uall get
Is this government trying to create PROBLEMS in this country? Did they say ZERO?
For your the custodians of Law and Order of the state ( POLICE ,THE ARMY (SSU), IMMIGRATION, COAST GUARD) the government / politicians should and must show more respect.
NEED TO BE TREATED BETTER THAN THIS…………..
Fifty sick men up North and fifty sick men down South…… that’s a lot of men short to take care of business.
A lot is cash has been wasted…….Treat the POLICE with respect……….THEY ARE ALL YOU GOT MR.
ZERO ? ……SO SHOULD WE TURN TO………..OR DO AS YOU ALL …..? WHERE DOES THE POWER LIE ?…..THINK CAREFULLY….
Those are exactly my sentiments. Zero respect for the”only law enforcement on the island. If there’s a time u guys have to stick together is now. You’ll need to stand ur ground. What a disrespect.The DPF has seen much better days.
I want to believe that whoever typed the letter made a typographical error in put 0%. I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Because 0% is laughable and insultive to say the least.
Just talk, they are afraid of Skeritt. A foreign gentleman can be paid $96,000 a year just to disseminate Government information, when you already have DBS and GIS, zero increase for Dominican policemen and women . A loan of $27,000 million plus monthly payments of electricity for one man, his wife and a few offices, zero increase for police. Pit toilets, new police stations, thousands of dollars in duty free concessions for the greedy not the needy, zero increase for the police. The General Election is due soon, them fellars breaking ground like rain, zero increase for the police. A lady in the Virgin Islands is paid a salary by Government for doing what, zero increase for the police. They have become famous for the invention of rent a job, where millions of dollars are doled out, yet no increase for the police.
According to Sparrow – ‘we like so’ we free! I tell you .
@Doc Love You are on fire man!
You are as powerful as Lennox’s speech on Sunday Night. Boy that was a mighty speech.
Police support and protection for free! Only in Dominica.
So you mean to tell me that those police officers who wear red everyday , are protecting a Gov’t who does not want to pay them and increase their salary?? LoL. well look it!
@Massacre That’s why 0% is too much for them. Up to recently they were leading a motorcade of Labourites., on the Saturday before their Labour Day Rally in St Joseph. Were these people (police officers) part of the bold CDPF LABOURITES? So a lot of these people are the cause of Dominica being as it is.
GIVE THEM (-10% ) minus 10% Skerrit, and take it from their monthly salary.
TAKE ALL YOU 0% AND SHUT UP!
Talk, Talk and more Talk. Union has no balls. Letang is extremely guarded in his response. DISAPPOINTED!!!!!!! Thats all you can say?
There are so many Police-Politicians, it is hard to make any deal or come to any agreement within the force and keep it there for some time before one of those political-police, sell it out the Gov’t.
But let them know that it is their future they are destoying. At no time in our history had there been so many policemen/women openly taking part in politics. It is a shame the way those guys have brought the reputation of the force into disripute.
when u talking about history please ask Dominica famous historian if there was ever and increase in government and none for there servants get so get ur head strait. all they doing is just buying alu. there have always been alot of police officers but every year half of them leave to other countries so get ur fact right, poverty is all over and most of them officers did not go to school to be no police officers but is that they can get so they doing it. and when a man risking his life , his family life u can get an increase but they don’t, u people need to stop all u foolishness is time to demand wat we want and not wat they want. if ur minister steals u don’t have to safe grad him and say “if it was u wat u would do” because if it was u they will see to it that u rought in jail. so be smart and say it as it is stop covering for them and start to pressure them to do wat is right. i don’t believe in start over but i believe that we are the Government and we call the shorts. all over the Caribbean their people stand for a better here i don’t understand wat is i all u hear u can’t let a man bribe u for u to be in pain and as u in the pain u will cover for him because u want him to give u some shit at is considered selling ur soul, u only looking at wat u can get now but wat about tomorrow pain stain and financially drained by tax that goes in there pocket $96.000 plus more and when they giving money they will make u think that is in their pocket that money come out but the facts is that is ur money and they will rather u work u get paid and u broke one time then u have no other choice but to ask for help u have children to feed and bills take all u doe buy food yet wat u going to do sell drugs, join police, beg everybody or look for another job that will give extra as u lower ur standard and degrade u. that wat we have come 2 wake up and smell the coffee it is hot i know that u can smell it stop ur siding and stand for ur country
The government already no money for dat. Campaign for it boys. Vote Labour they will pay u on time but where is the increase? Hmmmmm no increase for public followers bottom line ok.is the to government to tax the followers so the salary to increase. Y the fuse na? Take it boys cuz the smarter ppl kno wats Goin on an they hiding cuz of intimidation lol how dumb . speak up for the others to listen.
I am not too sure that Thomas Latang should be part of this neigotiating team. He has been ineffective for other unions and associations, so he won’t be any different for the police.
Letang is with the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU). He’s not with the Police Welfare Association (PWA).
Mr. Drigo I want to thank you in all your efforts thus far in trying to match Dominica’s Police salaries to that of our other carribean counterparts. (Barbados and so on.)
If the PWA want to mix politics and salaries that is their bussiness but at the end of the day the politicians will go home with their fat pockets.
This is all about your retirement and you all should discuss with a financial frame of mind.
Zero percent ? That is so laughable,that is totally unacceptable,we the members of the Dominica Police Force deserves better.There has to be a better way,change is what we need.
incompetent gov’t…vote them out
Time will tell, that is LABAR ca twavay.
Most of you all there are responsible for this wicked government to be delivering blows on the poor people of this country.
0% is what you all deserve. Take it and Shut UP!
Don’t Give Them More Skerrit!
I couldn’t agree more.
well said
Are you the opposite of smart or what ?