Former member of the Police Service Commission and former chairman of Crime Stoppers T&T Martin George believes the Prime Minister’s plan to pay cops in proposed vetted units higher wages is a recipe for disaster.
Delivering the feature address at a People’s National Movement (PNM) political meeting at Harris Promenade in San Fernando on Saturday night, Prime Minster Dr Keith Rowley revealed plans to create specially vetted units within the T&T Police Service (TTPS) to investigate corrupt police officers and government officials. He said these officers would receive higher wages for their specialist functions and for maintaining their integrity.
However, in a statement yesterday, George said it was a good idea on paper but can have the opposite effect in practice.
“It actually can be a recipe for disaster and create a rich and fecuned feeding ground for even greater corruption within the service.
“With persons seeking to doctor the books, to fix the records to jockey for positions within this supposed specialised unit because your motivation then is money.”
George said, “The problem has been that when you look at it over the years, it’s not money that motivates good and dedicated persons to do their jobs. The fact is, of course, yes, they need their salary, but the point is paying more isn’t what makes you a dedicated career civil servant or a dedicated career police officer.”
He said it was a person’s sense of duty that motivates them to do right and be a good person.
“You think back over the years when we had school teachers, school principals ... I remember there was one in Mason Hall Primary School in particular, principals who had a dedication and love for their students who were motivated by that factor and who wanted to see that success in their students,” he said.
“It’s not money that motivated these people.”
George said this was also realised through his experience at Crime Stoppers. He said they realised that it was not the reward that motivated people to provide tips but rather their sense of duty and need to do the right thing.
“We understand and empathise with the challenges faced in dealing with national security and dealing with the crime problem in Trinidad and Tobago as a whole, but certainly a suggestion such as this is going to create such a division and so much consternation within the Police Service itself that it doesn’t really appear to be the best thought out idea, with the greatest respect,” he said.
George, who is also the head of the Tobago Business Chamber, said the group and its members will continue to support the Government in its efforts to combat crime.
The Opposition United National Congress (UNC) has already condemned the move to create vetted units.
Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, on Sunday, described the proposal as unconstitutional and undemocratic.