Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that he has sought advice from the Commissioner of Police, Enville Williams, on the amount to be paid to members of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force for security duties performed for matches played here during the 2024 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup back in June.
Gonsalves said on radio on October 13 that he had received a document which included a bill amounting to close to EC$800,000.
And according to him, the document included information that some officers worked as many as 20 hours per day with rates ranging from EC$200, $150 and $100 per day.
“So, I asked the question, while these persons were performing these…somebody working 20 hours a day, were they not being paid for that month?” the prime minister questioned.
“I’m not saying that they shouldn’t get some money,” he continued.
But he said that he had indicated to the COP that he did not know what the amount should be and asked if the COP could provide an assessment.
“He (the COP) says that it is a ticklish one, and I say well it may be ticklish, but you have to advise me.”
“Apparently what happens, there are some persons who when the LOC (Local Organizing Committee) were discussing for the issue of security, I don’t know if they felt all this thing was going to be borne by Cricket West Indies,” said Gonsalves.
He said that he had this document on his desk, but he questioned the amount to be paid saying how was it possible for him to pay in excess of EC$20,000 to a senior officer for security duties performed.
Gonsalves reasoned that if some officers worked 20 hours per day to provide security for West Indies Cricket, then they could not charge an hourly rate: “as if you were a lawyer when you have your salary already,”
“I said to the Commissioner, if you tell me that that is what I have to pay, I have to go to Parliament with a Supplementary Appropriation Bill, Supplementary Estimates and tell the country what I am being asked to approve, I wouldn’t do it in secrecy,” the prime minister said.
He said that he was not ‘begrudging’ anyone any moneys owed, but he wanted everyone involved to be reasonable.
“Could it be reasonable for somebody, you’re getting your salary as a police officer and I am talking from top to bottom because different hourly rates apply, I’m not spreading out anybody – I ain’t calling no name,” he said.
But, if someone worked 20 hours a day and charged EC$150 per hour, if they went to the accountant general and said that they did not want double pay, Gonsalves added.
“I can speak more you know, but I don’t want to speak more. There are so many issues,” he said.
According to Gonsalves, he wanted to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, but he found it difficult to accept the numbers which had been sent.