Comments on: OBA’s Smith: Concerned About Police Budget

By: Davie Kerr

Davie Kerr — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 20:20:03 +0000

It’s strange, isn’t it? When election time approaches, every party promises pay increases for teachers, nurses, and the Police. After the election, who’s down near the bottom of every Government pay scale? Right: teachers, nurses, and the Police! Incidentally, does anyone else remember ’93 when 25 Policemen, who had all served in overseas forces before coming to the end of their 5-year contracts in Bermuda, were told that their contracts were not being renewed? I believe that the then Commissioner subsequently retired, claiming that the Police were being used as “a political football.”
It is said that one of those 25 officers, on reporting to HQ, was told that his contract was not being renewed and that he’d actually accumulated so much annual leave that he should have finished work 3 days previously, so he was to hand in his uniform as he left HQ! I suspect that story may not be totally true, but I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if it was!

By: Cow Polly

Cow Polly — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 18:32:25 +0000

eh? you are being sarcastic, right?

By: Jack Archer

Jack Archer — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 16:10:11 +0000

This: In response, a Government spokesperson said, “The Budget is being finalized and will be unveiled on Budget Day.”
so no denial, so it is being cut .. smh.

By: bluenose

bluenose — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 15:40:15 +0000

Apparently you did miss his comments in this respect, because they are right there in the article, other than the community workers.

By: sandgrownan

sandgrownan — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 14:19:18 +0000

We do, but DREB’s motivation was control, not funding.

But, this is all a result of PLP economic mismanagement. 20 years of failure.

By: watching

watching — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 13:10:40 +0000

Did I miss MP Smith’s comments on the reduction in gang violence and the fact there were no murders in 2019 and his congratulations to the police force, and community workers that aided in this success?

By: Joe Bloggs

Joe Bloggs — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 13:05:30 +0000

The Government is not responsible for the Bermuda Police Service, the Governor is. Many will recall that Dr. Brown, when Premier, lamented the fact that the Bermuda Government had to fund the police but had no control over the police.

On that basis, I see no good political reason for the Government to provide adequate funding for the Bermuda Police Service.

By: Hugh Jardon

Hugh Jardon — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 12:25:06 +0000

To me this is reckless endangerment.