Family of slain cop to get $1M from Government

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Georgetown : The family of the late Police Constable Antonio Dawson, who was killed in the line of duty in September, will receive $1 million from Government.

Twenty-eight-year- old Dawson who was attached to the Control Base at Brickdam, died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Cooperation (GPHC )on September 18, after he was stabbed several times while attempting to arrest a man.

Dawson had only joined the force a little over a year ago. He is survived by his two children (ages 3 and 1) and his common- law wife, mother and father. 

“Cabinet approved the sum of $1 M to be paid to the children of the deceased Police Rank and their mother. Cabinet deliberated on this matter extensively and recognised that in circumstances where persons have given service to the disciplined services, that we need to ensure that in the event of their death, we have to put in place a stronger regime of measures that will take care of the families of those persons who die in the line of duty,” Minister of State Joseph Harmon explained.

The provision of payment to the family is as a result of a Cabinet decision that was made in 2002 and which has continued, the Minister of State said.

Minister Harmon noted that Cabinet has given the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan the responsibility of revisiting such situations since the regular provisions of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Dependant’s Pension Fund would not cater for ranks who die young.