Fire Service ranks concerned about delayed promotions

Jun 02, 2017 News

…but Fire Chief assures that promotions imminent

A sense of uneasiness has been spreading across the Guyana Fire Service [GFS]. At the centre of this state of affairs are several ranks who participated in the examinations towards the end of last year.

Chief Fire Officer, Mr Marlon Gentle

Some of the ranks, this publication was told are contending that their successful completion of the examination should have seen them being eligible to fill several senior positions with the GFS.
The vacant positions, this publication understands, include Leading Firemen, Section Leader and Sub-Officer all of which existed before the examinations were conducted.
According to an official close to the GFS, there were talks that the promotions would have been fast-tracked in December given the fact that there exists a shortage of fire fighting personnel.
The situation that exists, this publication was informed, is that a number of the upgraded ranks are still functioning out of the GFS central Georgetown headquarters instead of being placed at several regional Fire Stations that have the vacant positions.
It has been reported that since the ranks have not yet been promoted there is a likelihood that they will lose some benefits that should have been due to them since last year had the promotions occurred.
It was related that “ranks who can’t even claim benefits are being forced to perform the duties of these vacant positions in some cases. This is tantamount to gross mismanagement and incompetence. This whole situation could cripple the proper service that should be provided to the citizens of this country,” the official shared with this publication.
But Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle, has put all of the foregoing concerns to rest.
Gentle explained that while an examination was conducted, it was done in three parts. He noted that while there are some who are now eligible for several vacant positions, “There must be a balance. Indeed there was an exam. The exam has been reviewed but some people have to do remedial because they didn’t do too well,” Gentle revealed. There is slated to be another sitting of the examination shortly, he said.
But according to the Fire Chief, “Completing the examination successfully does not mean that you are automatically going to be promoted.”
He however related that “even before those vacancies could be activated we have to go through a recruitment process to fill other vacancies.”
Gentle revealed that currently the Fire Service is operating with a shortage of in excess of 100 fire fighters. It is looking to recruit new fire fighters.
In order to address this shortcoming, Gentle said that it is very probable that the vacant positions could be filled before the end of this year.
“I am very sure that even before August the vacant positions would be filled. Those who will meet the criteria for promotion after the exams are completed will more than likely be promoted then,” said Gentle.
But according to him, this has not been the first time that promotions for senior promotions have been delayed. “We have had people sitting and waiting for two years for promotions and even more. The Fire Service is such a place that definitely you wouldn’t find that you write an examination today and be promoted tomorrow that is just impossible for us to do…it is a process,” the Fire Chief asserted.
He also assured that those who will be promoted will not lose any relevant benefits especially if there are some who are already acting in the vacant positions.

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