00:00Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander's response to a question from Opposition MP Stuart Young about back pay to public servants
00:07in the Homeland Security Ministry led to this moment.
00:11Has the PSA, the Public Service Association, indicated that they have accepted that 40% cash payment for the back
00:21pay?
00:21I think you should direct that question to the PSA.
00:24To the PSA? Well, I know the PSA currently, the President, is part of the UNC, but she's not here.
00:31Well, what sort of answers direct that to the PSA?
00:35Mr. Chair, let us be honest.
00:37No, come on.
00:38What do you mean, no? This is a question to the Minister of Homeland Security.
00:42Yes, but how...
00:43For expenditure on behalf of taxpayers of 38 and a half million.
00:47All right, well, calm down.
00:48Calm down and don't shout at me.
00:50House Speaker Jagdeo Singh, Chair of the Standing Finance Committee.
00:54Minister Reyes asked the PSA...
00:56For the Spain North, that statement you made, that is...
00:59I'm confining my commentary to the statement you made, the disparaging statement you made of the union leader.
01:05That's all I'm confining my...
01:08Well, I agree with you it is disparaging to be part of the UNC.
01:11That we can agree on.
01:13For the Spain North...
01:15You just said that.
01:18I never said it's disparaging.
01:20There's a sense that a union which is supposed to...
01:24Look...
01:25Mr. Speaker, let me give you some free advice.
01:26No, no, no.
01:27Let me move on, eh?
01:28No, let me give you some free advice and don't press this point with me.
01:32The Speaker moved along the proceedings.
01:34Does the Minister know if the 40% proposal has been accepted by the PSA for this line item?
01:44No, I don't.
01:46Earlier, the Homeland Security Minister was critical of the PNM.
01:50Over the years, there were problems with recruitment as your administration did not properly calculate the attrition rate of the
02:02police.
02:04And now we are short by several thousands.
02:09So what we are trying to do is to fix it at this stage.
02:11That's why you see from time to time, the overtime rate seems to always be an issue.
02:16When MP Young posed the question to find out if the $458 million estimated for overtime for the police service
02:24in fiscal 2027 would be enough for the police commissioner to manage the work of the police,
02:30Minister Alexander said, quote, if it is not sufficient, we will return, end quote.
02:36Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
02:42Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
