Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1523336,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1523336/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 282,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Yatta, WDM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Robert Basil",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "There is an increased cost of living due to the Finance Bill and new taxes. Everyone is feeling the pinch, but their salaries are at the same level. How do you expect police officers to survive under poor working conditions and pay? This will definitely result to stress. We see some results of stress, where some officers commit suicide. Others shoot their bosses, thus committing crimes, when they are supposed to restore order and peace. This is because of the stress which has built over time. In a nutshell, I recommend that we focus on psychosocial support, and improving salaries and benefits for our security officers and the police officers in that order. We also need to look for better housing and living conditions for our Police Force. Otherwise, we will keep on talking about psychosocial support, without anyone paying attention to the main cause of stress. We also need to restructure working hours. Some of our officers work beyond the stipulated eight working hours. Leave days need to be factored in so that we can mitigate the causes of stress. Thus, we would be able to properly support our officers do the job they are supposed to. Recently, we heard the cries of Generation Z who were complaining of excessive use of force by our police officers, brutality and abductions. You may not know but, perhaps, one of the reasons why police officers use firearms excessively is because of stress. A stressed person may want to discharge or offload the stress by improper use of firearms, thus contributing to police brutality and other vices that are linked to stress management. I recommend that proper stress management training be initiated, and should target police officers across the country. If possible, they can also look at other disciplined forces like those who are working at the borders. With those few remarks, I submit. I am ready to work on amendments to that effect. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker."
}