OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has promised that a future UNC government will consider implementing monetary rewards to police officers as a strategy to incentivise them to work harder to reduce crime.

Persad-Bissessar also warned that the creation of a cashless society in TT would introduce a new level of dictatorship by the government.

She made this statement at a UNC cottage meeting in Chaguanas on August 26 as she offered party supporters a glimpse of the UNC's draft general election manifesto.

While acknowledging that there were rogue police officers, Persad-Bissessar believed there should be appropriate rewards for officers who did their jobs.

"There is a lot of demoralising in the police service for many, many reasons."

Persad-Bissessar claimed that some officers did not feel they were valued enough or treated as they should be.

She said, "I think we should consider introducing a system of monetary rewards for police officers and divisions where crime is kept low and crime-fighting targets are met. We have to motivate them."

Persad-Bissessar added that all police officers, whether good or bad, received the same salary.

She told the Prime Minister that instead of seeking to remove Christopher Columbus' three ships from TT's coat of arms, he should focus instead on the "boats of arms and ammo coming into our country."

Persad-Bissessar reiterated that easier access to legal firearms, stand-your-ground legislation, raising the legal age to gamble and use marijuana from 18 to 25 and the reintroduction of a justice ministry were other features of the UNC's draft general election manifesto which will soon be posted online.

Dr Rowley first announced a proposal to remove the ships from the coat of arms and replace them with the steelpan at a special PNM party convention at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) on August 18.

He said the new emblem would be phased in over six months.

Persad-Bissessar also promised free laptop computers and free tablets for secondary- and primary-school students under an incoming UNC government.

After asking whether government would increase fuel prices in the upcoming 2024/2025 budget and condemning rising food prices under the PNM, Persad-Bissessar said the UNC was opposed to the creation of a cashless society.

At the launch of the National Financial Inclusion Survey Report (2023) at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain on August 20, Finance Minister Colm Imbert welcomed the TT International Finance Centre's (TTIFC) efforts to push TT towards becoming a cashless society.

Persad-Bissessar said "We say no to removing cash."

She claimed a cashless society would create situations where banks could seize people's accounts, the government could seize money in the accounts of its political opponents and there would be "no privacy in a cashless society."

Persad-Bissessar said the UNC advocated the use of a hybrid system of cash and digital payments.

She said people had a right to spend and save their money in wha