Some special constables do not receive an annual bonus or commuted overtime while some do because what is paid by the government agencies hiring their services is inadequate.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee told Parliament yesterday that the shortage of funds to pay one category of the Special Constabulary was often as a result of absenteeism and theft.
PNCR-1G Member of Parliament Mervyn Williams had asked the minister why some members of the Special Constabulary were not in receipt of monies from the President’s Annual Award or commuted overtime.
Williams quoted Section 78 (1) of the Police Act, which provides that “every member of the Special Constabulary, when called out for full-time services… shall be paid for his services as may be provided for by Parliament, at the same rate as a member of the force of equivalent rank”.
Rohee said there were two categories of special constables. He said the regular special constables were paid from government funds while the others – “a self-funding section (Guystac)”, were paid by funds earned from the various agencies and corporations that hired them. He said the corporations experienced loss of revenue owing to absenteeism and larceny, which were the main reasons why there was a shortage of funds to pay bonuses to the Guystac constables.
