Light bill: $6,000; house rent: $15,000; transportation: $2,000; and food: $22,000.

This is what it takes for the ordinary policeman to meet his needs. But it is not what is being paid to ordinary policemen, the Association of Police Officers (APO) says.

“The current economic reality of the country precludes an average policeman from meeting the financial needs of him\herself and family,” the body which represents officers from the rank of cadet to senior superintendent says in its memorandum to the Disciplined Forces Commission.

The Commission has been set up by the National Assembly to review the organisation and the operations of the disciplined forces, including their terms and conditions of service.

Policemen and their families should be allowed to engage in a trade or business because in Guyana’s economic reality their salaries do not add up, the APO says.

But the terms of service for policemen now restrict them and their families from engaging in business or trade without the permission of the Commissioner of Police, Chairman of the APO Super-intendent Balram Persaud told the commission.

“This restriction is peculiar to the members of the police force and not the wider `public service’ whose em-ployees and members of their families are free to engage in business and\or trading to supplement their incomes,” the memorandum says.

Besides asking that the restriction not apply to members of the force or their families, the APO wants the Commissioner of Police to publish a schedule of trades or businesses that policemen can engage themselves in.

Police wages are also a concern.

“Salaries and all allowances paid to members of the force must be realistic so as to ensure the integrity of our ranks are not compromised,” the APO says.

“We recommend an increase in salaries that would allow ranks to be at a minimum acceptable standard, taking into consideration the current economic realities.”

Such realities include policemen who may have to support two homes when they are posted to remote areas.

Another example cited is the police rank who is stationed in the mining location and has to purchase stocks at the same prices as miners.

A cost-of-living budget drafted by the APO shows that in order to meet his/her financial needs, a rank needs $45,000, excluding money for health, clothing, entertainment and savings.

About allegations of political interference, the APO said there had been numerous cases where politicians called policemen “seeking to issue operational instructions,” in violation of the Police Act.

Violations of the Firearms and Immigration Acts to allow for the intervention of the Ministry of Home Affairs were also cited in the APO’s memorandum.

The provisions of the Firearms Act have vested the power for the granting of licences solely in Divisional Commanders within the boundaries of their division. But, Persaud said, after Commanders had given their approval the application was sent to the Home Affairs Minister for him to register his objections, if any. He said this practice had been going on for the last twenty to thirty years.

The Immigration Act vests the authority for the issuance of passports with the Chief Immigration Officer, being the Commissioner of Police. However, the APO says the Home Affairs Ministry controls the process, and people who want to expedite their applications for lost or damaged passports must appeal to the ministry, although there is no legal provision for this practice.

The APO said these practices should be discontinued and the law be adhered to.

Meanwhile, among its other recommendations, the Association has also recommended that a special ward be designated for policemen in all government hospitals as a security precaution.

It was also suggested that training be recommenced at overseas institutions, where the courses cater for the overall development of officers.

Accommodation is now “woefully inadequate.” Where there are barracks or houses, these are dilapidated and uninhabitable.

Many stations are without proper lighting, potable water supplies and have poor sanitary facilities. It is mandatory for ranks on probation to reside at stations, but most of the junior ranks sleep away from the stations and divisions.

The APO considers that this can create a serious manpower problem during a critical situation. And in addition to being a health risk and causing a decline in the morale of the police force, they believe that poor accommodation has created a negative image of the force that may affect its relationship with the public and even its recruitment drive.

The Association also proposes a voluntary retirement option for policemen who have reached the age of 40 and have completed 20 years of service.

According to the APO, “a person who retires at age 55 after serving in excess of 30 years will most likely enjoy a maximum of nine years retirement according to 1991 census (which gave the average life span of a Guyanese male as 64 years).”