ST ANN, Jamaica — Chairman of the Police Federation Sergeant Raymond Wilson Thursday called on Minister of National Security Peter Bunting to lobby for government’s wage restraint to be lifted and for constables in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to be better paid.

“Salaries of our constables, believe it or not, are just a few cents higher than that of a security guard,” Wilson stated in his address at the two-day 71st Joint Conferences held at the Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa in Ocho Rios, St Ann on May 21 and 22.

Wilson said that for a 40-hour work week, a security guard is paid approximately $283.27 per hour, including laundry cost. A constable on the other hand is paid $299.24 per hour “for a sometimes 70-hour work week”.

He argued that while security guards are paid for over time, it is not the same for police officers.

Security guards are paid time-and-a-half for Saturdays and double time for public holidays and Sundays, which is not the case for police officers, Wilson said.

“Security guards in this country are better paid than our constables,” he declared, adding that he was not disrespecting security guards, but police constables “as men and women working to protect the nation, they should be better paid”.

Acknowledging that he was aware of the economic problems facing the country Wilson nonetheless said that the police officers were suffering.

“Wage freeze imposed by the government is killing us literally,” he said.

Renae Dixon