Bounty Killer Cross About Police Protest For Overtime Pay
Bounty Killer has admonished both the police and Prime Minister Andrew Holness, after rank and file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) descended on the Supreme Court in Downtown Kingston, to protest what they said were delays in the payment of their overtime claims.
The Dancehall veteran made his dissatisfaction known after media reports surfaced that hundreds of placard-bearing police officers clad in monochromatic black, had taken to the Supreme Court building to await the verdict on their 40-hour workweek and overtime claim.
“A hungry man is a hangry man. This is managing of crime Andrew talking about when teh police is being underpaid. Y’all see why teh crime rate is at peak high…,” Bounty wrote in addressing the Prime Minister, on his Instagram page where he shared a Star tabloid video of the protesting cops.
He then took issue with the police officers for breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) for which they had been prosecuting scores of Jamaicans, over the last year, which forbids large gatherings.
“To the police them now, is this an illegal protest too that’s why when the public voicing their opinions and demonstrating their rights the police should not let the same government that’s not paying them programs them to violate the ppl’s rights. Who feels it knows it. Jamaicans we fed up,” he noted.
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Bounty’s concerns come against the background of an incident which took place in September in which the leader of the United Independent Congress’ (UIC) Joseph Patterson was arrested during a protest in Downtown Kingston, after he and his supporters tried to march on the House of Parliament, to, among other things, voice objection to forced COVID-19 vaccinations.
At the time the JCF had made it clear that no permit was applied for, or granted for a protest by the political party and its supporters and that “the main organizer of the protest, Joseph L Patterson, following his non-compliance with the provisions under the Public Order Act”.
Bounty Killer had at the time, shared a video clip of police arresting protesters and expressed dismay, which he directed at Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
“Mr Holness @andrewholnessjm where is your holiness god not sleeping though real dictatorship or it’s government badness…,” Bounty had written.
“When did the people ever need permission to have a peaceful protest, ppl need to know that there is state law federal law and then there is universal law which is bigger than every other law and as living humans we are not subjected to any law of man but only the law of God,” he later added on ZJ Sparks Instagram page where an image of one of the arrests was shared.
The Police High Command had also noted that “while the Constitution allows for peaceful gathering, a march of that nature would not be authorized at this time, as it would be in breach of the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) which stipulates that no more than ten persons must be gathered in any public place”.
Today, fans of the Warlord, agreed with him, some jeeringly in pointing out the duplicitousness of the police, in gathering in large groups to protest at a judicial building.
“They don’t need to be out there protesting they the ones always arresting people for protest in their rights🔥🔥🔥 dem need fi go do some police work or get a better paying job,” realikon1212 said.
“Bet if it was the normal Citizen of Jamaica those sooo called police would be brutalising them & killing them but unuh want money & unuh fi have right to demonstrate unuh damn lucky go tell mr nose unuh self make him use government badness pan unuh rathid cloth bugger unuh…unuh ludddy,” blackchampagnebeauty jeered.
Others said the police should be arrested for lawbreaking, as they were certain they were given no permission by the Commissioner of Police to protest in front of the Supreme Court.
“Lock dem up fe breach of DRMA jus like how dem duh poor people,” fraterdwayne said.
“Jamaica is capital of double standards… Couple months ago dem a lock up people fi protest n now dem a protest… Dem fi get lock up too… smfh,” gazacorey demanded.
However, others like Billboard producer Kirk “Koolface” Ford and Bring Life artist Kalado, empathized with the police officers.
“This is a longtime coming and I want the citizens of Jamaica to stand with the Police to demand that they get better wages because that will bring fort better service to the country,” Koolface said.
For his part, Kalado argued that police and other civil servants ought not to have to pay taxes.
“Police needs better pay for real!..every civil servant/government workers as a matter of fact, teachers, nurses, fire and fighters etc. instead the government taking back percentage off their paycheck and tax, when they should not be take tax from those workers pay check! which is already being taxed,” he said.