BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, June 12, 2018 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – Since assuming office, the Team Unity-led Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has taken the necessary steps to improve the working conditions of law enforcement officers. This type of investment in the security forces will once again be demonstrated when the government introduces revised travel and displacement allowances for security officers in the Federation.
During a meeting with Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, on Wednesday, May 23, at the Charlestown Police Station, members of Division C of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force raised the issue of increased allowances.
Prime Minister Harris made the commitment to conduct a review of these allowances and requested that the Commissioner of Police spearhead the necessary consultations and then submit a proposal.
Following those discussions, the decision was made to also review the allowances for officers of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force and the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services who travel between islands for work.
In a recent interview, Prime Minister Harris indicated that the new allowances will take effect from July 1, 2018.
This will be the first time in 10 years that transportation and displacement allowances granted to security officers who travel between St. Kitts and Nevis regularly for work are being increased. The allowances were revised in 2008 and in spite of changes being made in the cost of ferry services since that time, the former administration failed to review allowances for the men and women who serve.
Speaking with the Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister today (June 12), Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ian Queeley, noted that this is both a “timely and important” initiative being undertaken by the Government.
“The revised allowances will improve the morale of the men and women of the Police Force because it has been some time since the displacement allowance has been introduced and the cost of living since then has increased, so if the allowance is increased then certainly it would alleviate some hardship and at the same time encourage the officers,” Commissioner Queeley added.
