Several families of officers who were killed but not in the line of duty will not be recipients of the $1 million compensation grant for victims.
Relatives of members of the protective services who were killed in the line of duty would benefit from the $1 million compensative package from the Government after Cabinet approved the payout.
However, yesterday, senior public affairs officer of the Defence Force, Major Al Alexander, said the slain individuals were categorised and some of the men who were killed were not eligible for the money.
“Some were killed and there are certain categories. He (names) was not on duty when he was killed. They were not on duty and some of the persons are not considered in the line of duty. This gives the impression that they qualify,” he said.
Director, Corporate Communications Unit in the Ministry of National Security, Marcia Hope, said based on the Cabinet minutes the officer’s families would be compensated if they were on the job or in the line of duty.
Attempts to contact National Security Minister Edmund Dillon proved futile.
Meanwhile, family members and colleagues still wept at the mention of the names of their slain loved ones who were employed with the protective services.
Former Central crime-fighter Johnny Abraham’s nephew, PC Sherman Maynard, was killed during the prison break at the Port-of-Spain Prison last year.
Maynard, 27, died in the line of duty when three prisoners escaped from the prison during a daring escape.
Abraham said: “That might be the next two years, the way they drag certain things. It could take two years before they get the money.
“Who wouldn't be happy? The money wouldn't really be of use. It will help when they got kill unexpectedly and they may have debts and who they were owing.”
Abraham said that some of the victims might have children that were going to school.
“When you dead in the Police Service they remember you for the first ten days then nobody don't study you,” he said.
Former Senior Supt of Homicide, Zamsheed Mohammed, said he was a very close friend of Sgt Hayden Manwaring who was shot dead during a robbery attempt three years ago.
Mohammed who is now on vacation said he was more than “just friends” with Manwaring. He said Manwaring had young children but it could not bring him back to life.
“There is no price on him. At least the family can have some financial assistance. Every day I think of him and not a day don’t pass and I don’t think of him. We were good friends,” he said.
Mohammed said he received counselling after Manwaring’s death.
“We were always in the same division or section and we both had matters in court. When he died I was his direct supervisor in CID," he added.
When contacted, Kim Manwaring, his wife, said she was busy at the moment and did not answer further calls to her phone. Magaret Sampson-Browne, former head of the Victims and Witness Support Unit, said she spent some 46 years dealing with the victims of crime.
She hopes families will take the money and do something productive that will remind them of the person.
“Don't apportion to something that will give them pain. Don’t use it on like some house or car that don't have longevity. A charity that can blossom and they can know they were part of the community, humankind and you. It is up to them.”
Sampson-Browne said they would be reminded of the wonderful things when they were on the earth.
“it is grief all over again and authorities have to revisit that grief and offer them sessions where they could address that," she added. She said money could not turn back time but could have value if apportioned properly.
“Like I was able to do something in his or her memory. History shows millionaires become paupers. Money comes into your hands, invest it,” she added.