PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling addressed concerns regarding law enforcement compensation during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing, providing crucial updates on back payments and overtime provisions for the upcoming festival season.
Responding to inquiries about outstanding payments for the police force, Minister Tackling confirmed that significant progress has been made. She clarified that officers who have already received their formal decrees (LBs) have, for the most part, been compensated.
“As soon as you get that LBs, typically the retroactive pay from January 1st, 2023, until the date that you receive the LBs, is paid out on the next payroll by wages and salaries,” Tackling explained. This process ensures that once the administrative paperwork is finalized, the financial settlement follows swiftly.
The Minister noted that the ministry is awaiting the final two batches of decrees from the Governor. “I’m not even sure if there are really many officers left in those,” she stated, adding that she intended to follow up immediately on the status of these final groups.
Carnival Overtime Secured
As Carnival season approaches, concerns were raised about overtime pay for officers required to work extended hours. Minister Tackling assured the public and the force that these costs are already accounted for.
“That is budgeted for every year within our budget,” she confirmed. “We typically don’t have any issues when it comes to paying out the overtime for the festival season.”
She recalled that in previous years, the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) had assisted by providing additional budget for extra events, ensuring that security needs were met without financial strain on the officers.
While the current systems are functioning, Minister Tackling acknowledged the desire for increased financial resources for the Justice Ministry. “We would love to have more budgets as a Ministry of Justice,” she remarked, emphasizing her continued advocacy for ensuring the justice chain is adequately funded to meet its operational demands.