Government needs to provide answers on how it will pay millions of dollars in Police backpay, according to Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley.

There has been silence so far on the topic, and according to Sen. Dunkley: "This type of approach only raises people's concerns".

An agreement was reached last month for a five percent pay rise after a three-year dispute between the Police and the Government. The matter went to arbitration with Government initially refusing to accept the recommendations of the Permanent Police Tribunal.

The eventual deal included a 5.8 percent one-off "uplift" on their original pay in October 2005, plus a five percent increase for each of the last three years and a $350-a-month housing allowance backdated to October 2005.

Recently-appointed Deputy Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva, whose remit includes finance, has said the retroactive payments for the salary increases and housing allowance – to be made in three installments over the next seven months – will cost "millions", but was not budgeted for this financial year.

He added that either other funds would have to be moved or an application would have to be made to the Government for the money.

The Royal Gazette understands that Police have been promised 40 percent of their back pay at the end of this month, 30 percent in February and 30 percent in the next financial year.

However, Minister for Public Safety Minister David Burch has so far declined to answer questions about the issue including what the timetable for the payments is, where the money will come from, and how much the pay deal will cost in total.

Sen. Dunkley said yesterday: "We were very concerned that there was no comment from the Minister. This matter has dragged on for way too long. I understand that there is an agreement in place and it's unacceptable that the Government will not make any public comment. The public need to know and the Police need to know."

The Police participated in an unprecedented march on Parliament in June amid frustration over the dispute.

Sen. Dunkley speculated yesterday that Government's silence could lead to similar action again.

"It would seem logical that if this thing doesn't go forward, the frustration is still there. There's been no resolution yet. Until the payments start coming through and people know what's going on, that level (of frustration) is still going to be there."