Two Hundred Officers may not get their contract renewed if FNM gets elected – FNM Cabinet eyes cutting police staff levels?
Nassau, Bahamas — Police officers under a two-year contract with the government could find themselves out of a job after elections if they elect an FNM government, sources deep in the force tell BP.
We can report the FNM plans to ax some 200 officers in a downsizing exercise if it is returned to government.
The news reminds us of the sordid snapshot back in 2007 where a number of officers were dismissed from the RBPF following the election win of the FNM.
You would remember it was back in 2007 just after the elections that the FNM government terminated officers from the Tourism Division in its stop, review and cancel policy.
The FNM government also enacted laws to handcuff the Commissioner of Police by limiting his tenure at the top. The Ingraham government further crippled police officers when they moved laws to forced the retirement of scores of officers who reached the retirement age of 55 years-old.
Officers have been warned.
According to our source the decision by the FNM government to cut contracts within the Force is to decrease government expenditure across the board.
PLP MP for Golden Gates Mr. Gibson warned Bahamians at a rally on Clifford Park that if the FNM won the elections he held evidence that jobs at the Water and Sewerage would be cut by 35% and 25% would go at BTC.
Gibson told the massive crowd, he held the raw evidence in a communication out of the Corporation of the present government’s intent. Last night, at the massive gathering in Golden Gates, Gibson also warned that he had proof that a new FNM government would lower the retirement age of the Public Service to 60, another move to cut spending at the expense of the well being of thousands of Bahamian families.
Meanwhile, PLP deputy leader and MP for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador assured Bahamians last night that a PLP Government will reinstate its programme to break the back of Crime.
The PLP has not only made calls to increase manpower on the force but, Mr. Davis also assured police that no longer will the Commissioner of Police serve at the pleasure of the Prime Minister under a contract. He told supporters gathered at Golden Gates last evening, “Ignoring our sound advice in 2009, the FNM government placed a Commissioner of Police in a position where he has to sing for his supper.
“Under a PLP government no longer will the holder of the Top Brass of the Royal Bahamas Police Force sit under contract! Therefore I am announcing that not long from now the office of Commissioner of Police will not be held under contract.
“We [PLP] shall repeal all provisions in legislation that seeks to render the Commissioner’s office limited by contract.”
