About 100 members of the Vanuatu Police Subordinate Association (VPSA) met yesterday at the Police College hall to discuss some outstanding issues regarding their welfare.
The association is comprised of members of the Police force, Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF) and the Maritime Wing, from constables or privates up to senior sergeants or warrant officers for the mobile force.
The meeting was convened by the chairman of the association, Senior Sergeant Jimilton Tabi, following instructions from the acting Police Commissioner Iavro as a wake-up call to revamp some of the outstanding issues that had either been ignored or prolonged by previous police executives.
The VPSA has acknowledged the current and past executives for their positive responses to some of their earlier concerns including the pay rise issue. But many issues are yet to be resolved.
Among the outstanding numbers raised yesterday are the night allowances and overtime. Members of the association were concerned that the issue had long been ignored by the police executives and want to see this taken up as soon as the new police commissioner is appointed. The meeting was told that since laws were passed in parliament to pave way for night-shift allowances, only the nurses and teachers had effectively been benefiting while police superiors have failed to pursue this course for the benefits of the force members.
At the meeting, there were expressions of concern over what some termed as ‘unfair promotions’ in the force initiated by the recent past executives that saw some of the newer members getting promotions while others who served a little bit longer were ignored entirely.
The issue of transfers for police officers in the outer island post was also raised. Some feel that certain post holders had been stationary and needed to be relocated to a new post.
Concerns over housing for new recruits were also discussed. The meeting noted that married couples have now occupied facilities at the Independence Park area that were initially marked for the new recruits, forcing them (new recruits) to find shelter elsewhere.
The VPSA meeting also discussed the possibility of converting the association into a union to which the plight of the members could be addressed more aggressively. It is believed that a union of that sort could also cover and benefit all members of the Vanuatu Police Force, including their superiors.
Members of the VPSA have also openly expressed their observation over the rivalry groups within the Vanuatu Police Force and emphasized the need for the executive to facilitate a reconciliation ceremony.
“Division is still very much rife and thus hampering progress within the force. There is a need for each individual force member to feel that oneness rather than looking at each other as belonging to another group. If the force members want to be proud of the role they play they have to set aside their differences”, one policeman observed.
Recommendations from this meeting will be forwarded to the Police Commissioner’s office next week.
The VPSA meeting was held adjacent to the Police Executive meeting at the Police College conference room which was discussing its quarterly reports.