Devant Maharaj: Kamla's $$ for cops idea 'impractical'

FORMER People's Partnership government minister Dr Devant Maharaj has said Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's promise of monetary rewards for police officers to incentivise them to reduce crime is impractical and ill-conceived.

At a UNC cottage meeting in Chaguanas on August 26, Persad-Bissessar said a future UNC government would consider implementing a system of monetary rewards for police officers to incentivise them to work harder to reduce crime.

She was offering UNC supporters a glimpse of some campaign promises contained in the party's draft election manifesto. Persad-Bissessar said the full draft manifesto would be posted online in due course.

In a statement on August 28, Maharaj said, "Crime-fighting is not a business transaction. It requires systemic reform, robust leadership, and accountability, not just financial carrots."

He warned that the initiative being proposed by Persad-Bissessar "could exacerbate existing corruption within the police force, rather than motivate ethical and effective policing."

Maharaj asked what measures were in place or could be put in place to prevent police from manipulating crime statistics so they could receive these proposed bonuses.

He also said Persad-Bissessar's proposal failed to address issues such as poverty, social inequality and lack of education as some of the root causes of crime.

"Persad-Bissessar’s approach is a Band-Aid solution to a deep-seated problem that demands comprehensive strategies involving social services, community engagement, and judicial reform.

"The emphasis should be on holistic community safety plans rather than simplistic and potentially corruptible monetary incentives."