NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds on Tuesday said no decision has been taken regarded a proposal by the Police Social and Welfare Association (PSWA) to pay $1 million to the families of police officers who contract covid19 on the job and die. He said the consensus reached between the PSWA and himself on this specific issue after a meeting between them on May 21, was that it needed to be reviewed further.
Speaking to Newsday by phone on Tuesday, Hinds said, "As I understand it, the arrangement was made and remains in place for the payment of the $1 million sum to the estate of the police officer who died in the execution of his duty.
"I gather that, that meant, not just a normal death of a human person...though he is a policeman. ..but rather in the context of a sergeant of police from San Fernando...a detective who was killed..actually in the line of his duty...shot actually in confrontation with criminals."
He continued, "I got the impression and that is from being here...we were in opposition when that was implemented and I have not had the chance to review that personally since I came here." Hinds was appointed National Security Minister on April 19, in a mini-Cabinet reshuffle after the death of then energy minister Franklin Khan on April 17. His predecessor Stuart Young was appointed Energy Minister in that reshuffle.
Hinds said, "The impression is that, that was payable to the estate of police officers who died in combat, who died in the execution of their duty. " He added, "Not merely because they were a police officer and died."
In cases such as a police officer committing suicide or dying from a heart attack, Hinds said, "That may not have qualified. I don't know but that was the impression that I formed."
Against that background, he explained, "When the officers of the welfare association raised the matter with me, we simply discussed it and we came to no conclusion on the matter." Hinds said, "We all agreed that the matter was not as straightforward as simply agreeing or paying $1 million to a police officer who died because he became covid-afflicted."
He added, " So the matter is in that sense, unresolved, in that neither of us, came to any conclusion."
Hinds said he recorded the association's proposal that "a police officer who died from the covid disease..virus...should be paid."
He added the association was quite properly and correctly looking after the interests of its members.
"They put a proposal for contemplation and we discussed it but we have come to no conclusion. Neither I nor the association brought together, did we come to any conclusion on the matter."
Asked if there would be any further discussions between the association and himself on this matter, Hinds replied,"The matter is under our consideration and is under review. We agreed we would contemplate the matter much further because we all agreed that it was not as straightforward as their proposition suggested."
He added, "That was no
