Police Welfare Association to pursue outstanding internal matters

The Police Welfare Association will in 2016, be pursuing matters in which the appeals of members who have been suspended or dismissed have not been heard for years.

Inspector Trevor ‘Buju’ Bailey gave this undertaking while making remarks at the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVPF) annual awards ceremony last Saturday at the police canteen.

“As an association, we will be pursuing these matters vigorously,{{more}} so we can bring closure to these issues one way or the other,” asserted Bailey.

“The welfare association is concerned with the number of its members who are on suspension and you have been dismissed and have appealed without the appeal being heard for so many years, some for seven years.”

During his remarks at the ceremony, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said if a person is to be dismissed from the force, it should be done with expedition.

Gonsalves said he would be working with the Welfare Association and other authorities so that the hearing of these appeals would not take too long.

“It’s a scandal! These things take far too long,” Gonsalves added.

Bailey also mentioned that some of the Association’s members had been arrested for various offences, including wounding against civilians and theft.

“We see it’s creeping up among our members in the organization,” he said.

Bailey added that officers must not see the society as their enemy, but rather as a partner in crime fighting.