Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has agreed to meet with members of the Police Welfare Association tomorrow at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair. However, Persad-Bissessar made it clear that she cannot negotiate salaries with them.

The police have engaged in sickout action in recent weeks as they demand a 40 per cent increase to their wages. During the protest, the police even abandoned duties at the Prime Minister's home in Phillipine.

Speaking at a press conference at the end of yesterday's Parliament sitting, Persad-Bissessar confirmed she will meet with the police to hold discussions tomorrow.

"I cannot negotiate so I will have to speak with them and my respectful view is that they will need to meet with the CPO in terms of negotiations," Persad-Bissessar said.

National Security Minister, Brigadier John Sandy, meanwhile commended the police for working to bring the crime rate down despite their sickout action.

"The police service, even though at present there are some concerns with regard to their industrial demands, the police service is working assiduously in working to getting our crime rate down, and I must on this occasion commend them for the job they have been doing, particularly with the assistance with members of the Defence Force as well," Sandy said.

Sandy said other crime initiatives are being implemented, such as ensuring there is CCTV surveillance on the highways. He added that fathers are also being encouraged to come forward and take responsibility for their sons through community programmes. The youth, he said, are also being encouraged to get involved in sports and culture, as opposed to guns and violence.

Commenting on the defeat of the hanging bill, Sandy said it was sad that the Opposition did not contribute to ensuring that criminals are hanged. He said when a perpetrator rapes a four-year-old, takes a break to smoke a cigarette and then rape that child again, that person loses all rights to live. Sandy said the death penalty is not just about acting as deterrent but will ensure that relatives of victims get justice.

"This is just a minute set back in our thrust, it has heightened our resolve. We would go out there with more determination to ensure that criminal activity subsides in Trinidad and Tobago," he said.

—AR