~ On go-slow until demands met ~
PHILIPSBURG--“Irritated and fed up” with interim Minister of Justice Richard Gibson, the unions NAPB, ABVO and WICSU/PSU representing prison guards, police, Immigration, Coast Guard and Customs Officers had a nine-hour emergency meeting with their members at the police station on Saturday.
The unions committed to obtaining results for their membership and have given Government a deadline to 12:00pm today, Monday, to come with a concrete plan on how to tackle their demands or face industrial action from all members.
Police officers called their unions on Friday and informed them that they wanted solutions to their medical insurance coverage and several critical issues dating back six years. The unions contacted United St. Maarten Party (USP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Frans Richardson to inform him that they would not be meeting with Minister Gibson because he was disrespectful, according to ABVO President Sharlon Catalina.
Catalina, speaking on behalf of all three unions, said, “We told MP Frans Richardson that we want a Justice Minister as soon as possible to handle our urgent matters and if this is not the case then our members will have no choice but to take action. On Saturday, prison guards, police, Immigration, Coast Guard and Customs officers met from 9:00am to 5:00pm.”
Close to 5,000 passengers felt the pinch of the industrial action on Saturday, as there were only two Immigration officers at Princess Juliana International Airport SXM to deal with them, resulting in long lines and irritated visitors.
Several emergency calls made to the police between Friday and Saturday close to 5:00pm were deliberately ignored to show officers’ frustration.
“We informed management of the police for them to do the necessary, but enough is enough. Our members have been waiting since 10-10-10 for their affairs to be regulated and nothing has been done since then. It is time for somebody to take responsibility and act. We want a new Minister of Justice and we want him/her now. Our members will meet again at 12:00pm Monday and we will decide the way forward,” Catalina stated.
The Justice system personnel started moderate industrial action – a “go slow” – on Friday morning and will continue this until all matters are settled. Richardson pleaded with the officers to go back to work on Saturday and promised to come up with realistic solutions on Monday.
NAPB, ABVO and WICSU/PSU gave authorities 72 hours on November 24 to come with solutions for issues affecting the Police Force and Immigration, including fixing their insurance and pension, as well as ensuring that officers receive their “function book” and salary scales, amongst other things.
Catalina ended by saying that Richardson had given his word and he expected the deadline given to be respected.
