The controversial six-day work week for police officers has officially ended, but none of the officers who sacrificed their off days received the double pay sought by the Barbados Police Association.
Inspector Wendley Carter, the association’s president, confirmed the measure, introduced in late June to address a surge in gun crime, was discontinued on August 11 after running for roughly a month.
“It was finished yesterday,” Carter said on Monday. “They were paid for the extra day they worked at the normal rate, but they weren’t paid double. They didn’t get it. We are hoping that someday they will acknowledge us and give us.”
Officers expressed frustration to Barbados TODAY, with some calling their Crop Over efforts “tireless” and their compensation inadequate.
When the six-day schedule was announced, Carter had supported the move as necessary to curb crime but warned of burnout due to preexisting staffing shortages. He noted officers were already working extended hours, including double shifts monthly, to maintain public safety.
“As we see it, the way crime is going, it could not only affect the public of Barbados, but it could affect us as individual officers, and could affect our family,” he said back in June.
However, the association’s formal request for double pay during the crisis was met with vague assurances.
“We made a request … since it’s a crisis situation, you pay a rate increase,” he said. “But they say they will look at it.”
Looking ahead to CARIFESTA, which runs from August 22 to 31, Carter said no special work arrangements had been discussed with the association but warned the event could be “just as intense as Crop Over”.
Meanwhile, officers are also awaiting long-promised promotions for constables with 20 years’ service to be reclassified as senior constables with a pay grade increase.
Carter said this should be in place by next month: “We were told that everything would be organised by September. They said they wanted to do a ceremony and recognise the workers, so we have to wait and see.”
Multiple efforts to reach Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce failed.
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
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