Ex-Police Officers are having to sue the Accountant General to get thousands of dollars in back pay and pensions, it was claimed yesterday.

Former Inspector Maurice Pett said he had waited six months for money owed relating to a pay rise for the September 1999 to October 2000 period.

But when he resorted to court action Accountant General Anthony Richardson quickly paid up.

Mr. Pett said: "A bunch of officers retired before the agreement was signed.

There's a whole pile of back pay and pensions which needed to be adjusted.

"But as soon as I served the summons on the Accountant General the money was paid within one working day.'' Now Mr. Pett, who served for 29 years in the Police Service, is suing the Government to get his lost interest.

Mr. Pett said: "The Accountant General said it was too much work to work out the interest. I said okay, I will see you in court.'' But he said Mr. Richardson had failed to show for yesterday's court session and the case had been adjourned until May 7.

"It's not just me, there are other guys involved,'' he claimed.

"This isn't the proper way to do things. The only way to get the money is to threaten to take them to court.

"But it's cut and dried, there's no argument about it. They owe the money.

"It only took me 15 minutes to work out what I was owed and I am not an accountant.

" We are talking thousands of dollars. No one is going to pick up much less than $15,000.

"It's the regular pension and the lump sum. It's quite a lot of money.'' "The interest is only about $150 but it's my $150 and not the Accountant General's.

"It's embarrassing for them. They should operate without having to be threatened.'' And Former Sgt. Peter Shaw, who served with the force for 28 years, claimed he was given the run around by the Accountant General's office for months as he tried to get money owed to him.

But when he threatened to issue a summons he was given the money that same week.

He said: "It's absolutely ridiculous. It should have been paid the same time as the serving Police officers got the money.

"It's been a shambles -- the contract was signed ten months after it expired because Government was dragging its feet.'' "I am aggrieved not just for myself but for several other people who left the Island.

"What chance do they have? I am sure there are people still here who have not got their money either.'' "Are we not computerised these days so these things can be worked out? Former officers in legal battle "We are not talking about a hundred dollars -- we are talking about several thousand dollars.'' Accountant General Anthony Richardson was off the Island last night while no one else in his department was prepared to comment.

Last month The Royal Gazette revealed that Government was short of almost $150 million for its pensions fund for former Police, firemen and public sector workers.

But at the time Mr. Richardson said there was no fear that former staff would not get their full pension because of the shortfall.