$1B for the Police in Second Supplementary Estimates
By: , January 14, 2022
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Minister of Finance and the Public Service Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, makes a point while contributing to the debate on the Second Supplementary Estimates for the 2021/22 fiscal year in the House of Representatives on Thursday (Jan. 13).The Full Story
A sum of $1 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of National Security for the purchase of motorbikes and other items, which will help to improve efficiency for members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
The money, which will also be used to purchase armoured vests, information and communications technology (ICT) hardware, furniture and equipment, has been provided in the Second Supplementary Estimates for the 2021/22 fiscal year, for expenditure over the next eight to 10 weeks.
Minister of Finance and the Public Service Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, who made the announcement, stressed that adequacy of funding for the Ministry of National Security and the police must be and remain a strategic priority.
This, especially given the “complex and challenging problem” of tackling increasing homicides “and the depravity and brutality associated with those particular crimes.”
Dr. Clarke was contributing to the debate on the Second Supplementary Estimates during a special sitting of the House of Representatives on Thursday (Jan. 14).
The Minister noted that the money will also go towards the purchase of land for the divisional headquarters of the St. Catherine Police Division.
In addition, a portion of the funds will be used for the acquisition of the coastal grid radar power supply for the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) “to allow us to operationalise those radar systems and improve our domain awareness.”
In the meantime, Minister Clarke said the government looks forward to engaging with the police on the compensation review “which we hope to begin in April…and to wrap up outstanding matters relating to 2021/2022.”
The public sector compensation review is intended to overhaul the structure of salaries and other emoluments in the public service to make it more equitable.
“The police represent the backbone of Jamaica’s domestic security. They are the vanguards who are on the front lines of a very difficult challenge and notwithstanding positions and historical matters that may vary, the police have the absolute and unequivocal support of the Government of Jamaica,” he said.