Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has sent a Cabinet Note to be considered and passed by Cabinet with respect to the payment of $1 million to the estate of each of the members of the protective services — Police Service, T&T Defence Force, Fire Service and the Prison Service —killed in the line of duty.
She made this disclosure during her address at the UNC’s Monday Night Forum at the North Eastern College, Sangre Grande.
Persad-Bissessar, who led the budget presentation of 2014, made that commitment in recognition of the risks members of the protective services faced each day to protect the citizens.
She said as Prime Minister, Rowley had stated his Government’s commitment to honour that promise.
On April 14, Minister of National Security, Edmund Dillon, re-stated the commitment of the Government to honor the million-dollar compensation package proposed by the previous administration to families of all members of the protective services slain in the line of duty.
Cabinet has been asked to agree to (i) an ex-gratia payment of $1 million to the estate of each of the members of the protective services killed in the line of duty from September 2014 to September 2016 inclusive and (ii) payment after September 2016.
The Cabinet was also asked to agree that “the Attorney General cause to be prepared legislation to give effect to (ii) above for the consideration of Cabinet and thereafter for the laying in Parliament at the earliest; that funds to meet the payments in (i) above be identified by the Ministry of Finance in consultation with the Ministry of National Security and that the funds to meet the payments in (ii) above be provided for in the 2017 Draft Estimates of Expenditure.
When visited yesterday, a female relative of PC Sherman Maynard stood behind her burglar proofed carport at her home in Edinburgh 500 in Chaguanas.
When asked about whether or not she had received the million-dollar compensation package, she replied: “I have nothing to say with that. Ask the Minister of National Security.”
Maynard was on duty outside the Port-of-Spain State Prison when he was killed during a jailbreak on July 24 2015.
Nisha Roopnarine-Ramroop, the widow of SRP PC Govindra Ramroop, yesterday told the T&T Guardian November 5 would mark the first anniversary since her husband was shot while on duty at the Guapo Police Station.
She said to date nobody from the Police Service or the Ministry of National Security have approached her with regards to any compensation.
“All I got was $10,000 towards the funeral. I know that the general rule is once someone is injured or dies on the job an immediate compensation is usually given but in this case nobody spoke to me about it,” she added.
Ramroop died at the Point Fortin Area Hospital after sustaining a gunshot wound at the Guapo Police Station on November 5, 2015.
Secretary of the T&T Police Service Social and Welfare Association, Anand Ramesar, said he was happy to see that at least “someone is making the effort to bring relief to the frustrated families.
“We have been psychologically brutalised with the non-kept promises and the families are very frustrated to say the least. We have been to the Government and the minister and have not seen any follow through,” Ramesar said.