SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding has chided Jamaica Police Federation over its decision to discontinue assisting with the legal fees for its former chairman, Corporal Rohan James, who is before the Supreme Court in a battle with the police high command.

Golding, the Opposition leader, told PNP supporters at Independence Park, Savanna-la-Mar, on Wednesday that members of Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) who are defending their rights in the courts should be given support, and a PNP-led Government will ensure that this is done.

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“Any police officer who has a case affecting their rights before the courts should get the legal support that they need to support what they need to fight that case, and we will have to put that in place for them because we respect police officers and we know that they have them rights too,” said Golding.

On Monday the federation’s central committee voted to discontinue assisting James with his legal bill, which amounts to almost $2 million.

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In July 2023 James was interdicted after levelling strong criticism of the police high command’s handling of overtime payments to members of JCF.

James’ interdiction resulted in him being relieved of all duties and ordered to turn in his identification cards and other Government property.

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His pay was also reduced to a quarter of his original salary, however the court later ruled that it should be increased to 99 per cent of his original pay.

According to Golding, the issue is concerning because James was only doing his job as a trade unionist by speaking out about the overtime payments to his members.

“The court had ordered that it should be paid, and a year had passed and it wasn’t being paid and he ‘lick out’ as a trade unionist — which is what the police federation is — and then they put him on interdiction. Dat mean seh, they cut his pay and then send him home.