Western Bureau:

Minister of National Security, Senator Dwight Nelson, yesterday said the Government was willing to resume talks with the Jamaica Police Federation to end the wage impasse between the two parties.

"The Government is prepared, the Government is ready at this stage to continue discussion with the federation until an agreement is arrived at," he told those gathered at the Federation's 66th Annual Joint Central Conference at the Starfish Tre-lawny hotel.

Nelson also announced that Prime Minister Bruce Golding would no longer comment on the public sector wage freeze.

"The prime minister will no longer say anything about any wage freeze. You will not hear any other expressions from the prime minister ... what is done cannot be undone."

Pressing for seven per cent

The body, which represents rank-and-file members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, is pressing for its outstanding seven per cent wage increase.

However, Golding's previous utterances have not gone down well with the federation's executives, and the candid and militant mood of general secretary, Woman Sergeant Jacqueline Brown, mirrored that of the conference.

"The prime minister's utterances hark back to the days of backra massa, when our place was to be seen and not heard. Colleagues, it is with utmost respect that I remind the Government that dem deh days done," said an obviously incensed Brown to loud applause.

"Let me hope that we are not going back to the time when political interference in the running of the JCF was the order of the day."

Unthankful job

Federation chairman, Sergeant Raymond Wilson, whose presen-tation preceded Nelson's, attacked the minister with rhetorical questions as he outlined the challenges faced by his colleagues in executing their duties in what he describe as "an unthankful job".

"Is it bullying to stand up for your right as a worker in this country, and is it bully or bullyism to stand in defence of the maintenance value and sanctity of a signed contractual agreement?" he asked. "Mr Minister, is it bullyism to ask our employer, the Government, to discuss the terms of the wage freeze rather than to arbitrarily and unilaterally change the conditions of the agreement reached and properly signed by all parties?"

Golding had previously stated that he would not be bullied into adjusted his stance on the wage freeze.

The conference will conclude today with the meeting and election of an executive body for 2009-2010.