FAKING sick slips has come at a high price for two prison officers.

Mercette Pinder and Areyette Lightbourne find themselves packed off to serve time behind the bars they used to guard.

We imagine the welcome from their fellow prisoners won’t be the warmest.

Employers everywhere will have been used to a worker occasionally faking an illness for day off here and there – but these two appear to have taken it to another level.

Each went to Princess Margaret Hospital and got their fake slips from a nurse there – with Pinder saying he paid a nurse $15 and $25 for his two sick slips.

No such payment mentioned by Lightbourne, but he did say he got it from a nurse who “noticed his frustration” at the apparent poor service there. A shame he couldn’t be more patient – maybe a member of staff was ill that day. His supposed lack of patience lands him with 40 days in prison, while Pinder gets 60 days. Each could have three months more added if they don’t pay the fines they received in addition.

Even when they get out, we think they’ll find the job market not very accepting for uniformed officers who faked illness to avoid work – especially in the throes of a pandemic.

As they reflect on their choices behind bars, we suspect it will probably make them feel very sick indeed.

But was what they did so very unusual? How many out there have taken a sick day when they’ve been perfectly fine. Maybe to go sort out some errands, maybe just because they didn’t fancy a day at work.

More than a few might be looking at people ending up in jail for saying they weren’t fit for work and thinking on another day that might have been them.

Some too might raise a hand in protest to say that you shouldn’t have to use a holiday day every time you have to sort out paperwork with the government or a bank – though these things should be faster rather than working out ways to get around letting them take you longer.

Either way, there’ll be a few breathing a sigh of relief that it wasn’t them in court today. And also taking note that this is not the way to do things tomorrow.

Shame these partygoers

Do we have to keep shooting ourselves in the foot?

COVID-19 cases are still surging, but the lockdown measures have been eased to allow the economy to start moving again. What’s the first thing a lot of people have done? Thrown big get-togethers and parties. Honestly, it makes you sigh in disbelief.

We feel very sorry for Police Commissioner Paul Rolle as he finds polite words to tell people this isn’t the time.

His restraint is admirable as he says he doesn’t want to be arresting people but “the law is the law”.

Do we want to go back into a tighter lockdown? Do we want these small steps to liberty to be taken back? Because that’s what will happen if such irresponsible behaviour leads to a further increase in cases.

As the old saying goes, it takes two to tango – so it’s not just the party hosts, but the party goers. So next time someone invites you to one of these events, say no. Say more than no. Say no, and you shouldn’t be hosting it either. Tell people if they want to have your respect, they wouldn’t hold parties in the middle of a pandemic.

Commissioner Rolle and his officers have a whole island to police, they don’t need to be policing such parties because those present are too selfish. Peer pressure can stop these events – so if you hear about one, speak up about it, and tell people they’re only putting the lives of others at risk.

Let’s celebrate when it’s safe, not party our lives away.