Retired police officer Gideon Nathan, a 20-year veteran of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), is accusing his former employer of withholding the retirement payout he expected to receive when he left the job on medical grounds.
Nathan recently contacted CLIPLET NEWS, saying he feels “unfairly” and “disrespectfully” treated by the system he served for two decades, and that his pleas for a proper audience with the authorities continue to go unanswered. His story reflects not only a personal financial crisis, but also raises questions about how injured officers are treated when their years of service come to an end.
From “Hulk” on the beat to medical retirement
According to earlier reporting by the Searchlight newspaper, Nathan joined the RSVGPF on 14 May 2004 and retired on 9 October 2023, after serving in several key areas of the Force, including CID, the Rapid Response Unit, the Traffic Department and undercover operations.
He described himself as the kind of officer who threw his full weight into the job. Colleagues reportedly knew him as “the dancing fat traffic police” and “Hulk” – the man who could chase down suspects through the streets of Kingstown.
Over the years, however, Nathan’s health deteriorated. He links his medical challenges to:
- Long shifts standing on duty
- Poor eating habits formed during his service
- A heart procedure
- A serious fall in 2020 down the stairs at CID while pursuing a mentally ill detainee, which he says left him with multiple injuries, including spinal damage and a dislocated shoulder
Nathan says those injuries kept him off duty for lengthy periods and required months of therapy—treatment he claims he largely paid for himself.
He also alleges that he was forced to take a COVID-19 vaccine despite previously suffering a severe COVID infection, and later contracted dengue fever, which he believes further worsened his health.
“Instead of a payout, they say I owe them”
Nathan’s main grievance is that after 20 years of service, he expected a retirement payment to help support his family as he transitioned out of the Force. Instead, he says he was told that because of the time he spent on medical leave, he now owes the government money — reportedly over EC$90,000 — rather than being owed a final payment.
He further claims that when he tried to process his retirement benefits, officials told him there were no records of his 2020 fall at CID or of several of his medical issues, despite him submitting documents for years.
Nathan says he requested access to his personal file but was denied. Fortunately, he kept his own copies of medical reports and leave certificates throughout his career.
The financial impact, he says, has been devastating. With no pension and no retirement payout, he has struggled to support his household — at one point, his teenage son even considered leaving school to help the family.
A decorated officer, now feeling discarded
Before retirement, Nathan distinguished himself in several units. He was recognised as “most improved detective” at CID in 2010 and earned a “most outstanding police officer” award for his work in Paget Farm, Bequia, in 2015.
He also mentored young people through Police Youth Clubs in Redemption Sharpes, Edinboro, Ottley Hall and Bequia, and famously took on the role of “police Santa” at Christmas events.
Archived reports also show Nathan competing in a police public speaking competition, where he won the impromptu category — reflecting his visibility and reputation within the Force.
Yet despite this track record, Nathan says he now feels “abandoned.”
“Twenty years was spent serving. Sometimes my family did not see me,” he said previously, stressing that his appeal is not political — only a request for fairness.
What the authorities are saying
In Searchlight’s reporting, a source in the Police Welfare Department claimed that Nathan indeed owes the government money, saying he exceeded the number of medical leave days allowed — a situation that affects how his final payment is calculated.
Questions sent to Acting Commissioner of Police Enville Williams reportedly went unanswered as he was out of state on official business at the time.
Nathan rejects the suggestion that he misused sick leave, insisting his injuries and illnesses were directly linked to his work, and that he followed all formal procedures for documentation. He also says he once raised the issue with Former Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, but has not received a meaningful response.
“All I want is an audience”
Speaking with CLIPLET NEWS, Nathan repeated that he is not trying to start a fight — he simply wants dialogue, fairness, and the opportunity to present his documents to those responsible for processing retirement benefits.
“All I want is an audience and for them to hear my side and rectify it,” he said. “I am not at war with anybody, but I feel I have been treated like my service meant nothing.”
Nathan is currently trying to start a small business, but without a retirement payout or stable income, access to capital has been nearly impossible.
His struggle highlights a broader national question: What safety net exists for public servants who are injured while serving the country?
