PNP demands reimbursement of fees paid for emergency service at Police Records Office

The People’s National Party (PNP) is demanding reimbursement for persons who paid for emergency police records and are yet to receive the document due to the ongoing breakdown in operations at the Police Records Office.

Opposition spokesman on Crime Fitz Jackson says a way must be found immediately to reimburse members of the public who have paid fees for emergency police records. 

According to Jackson, the government’s failure to fix the problems at the Police Records Office expeditiously, while collecting fees for emergency services, amounts to a ‘breach of contract’ for services as many of the persons paying for the quick turn-a-round in service will not be satisfied any time soon.

“The government is collecting money from ordinary Jamaicans under false pretense, and this must be corrected immediately,” Jackson said in a statement issued today. 

The Opposition spokesman on crime said the problems at the records office have also added to the overcrowding of jail cells as convicts, held in lockups require criminal records before they are transferred to correctional facilities. This service is severely affected by the ongoing repairs and dislocation at the office.

Jackson said: “The situation has compounded already serious conditions in many lock-ups due to overcrowding of jail cells throughout the system.”

He expressed surprise at the further deterioration in service at the agency, given assurances from the government that remedial action would have been taken.

Pointing out that some sectors are being prioritised for service, Jackson contended that while there is a need to ensure that emergency service is available to some companies because of the nature of their industries, there are many Jamaicans outside of these sectors who are being denied access, putting their businesses at absolute risk.

“This government continues to show contempt for ordinary Jamaicans, by its action it is willingly participating in a process which is inconveniencing ordinary citizens, locking them out of the formal systems, denying them benefits, and leaving them to resort to unsavoury ways of getting around established systems. This way of governing cannot be good for our democracy and must not be tolerated,” Mr Jackson said.

He is calling on the government to immediately address the issues at the Records Office and put in place a workable backlog recovery and emergency system which would be equitable to all.