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President Ali disappointed in Fire Service
Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali yesterday criticised the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) following the massive fire at the Brickdam Police Station which destroyed over 80 per cent of the station. The President visited the scene on Sunday morning along with Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn and other Government officials.
President Ali further explained during a press briefing that the Fire Service’s response to the fire is a disappointment. “I am publicly putting the Fire Service on warning… this cannot and will not be tolerated,” President Ali said.
President Irfaan Ali
He also indicated, that hundreds of millions of dollars were spent in the last year to boost the fire service’s response capabilities and “to put it crudely, you cannot respond to a fire in your backyard.”
The Government cannot continue to make investments in the Public Service and not get returns. He said the inefficiency has to be weeded out. The response by the Fire Service to the Brickdam fire on Saturday had nothing to do with assets and resources but the unpreparedness by the service, President Ali posited.
“Based on the type of calls I received…they were unable to take action because of their state of readiness. I want to assure the public that I have heard them and we are going to examine the response from the Fire Service in its totality,” the President said.
He also stated that if persons don’t want to work for the public sector, then they should do the honourable thing and resign.
“Don’t take a job in the Fire Department and believe it is a part time job; don’t take the government’s assets, safety gear and leave it home when you are an emergency worker.”
The President has assured his support in assisting the Police Force to continue to execute its duties.
“This morning, I want to personally thank the ranks for their continued commitment for the work that they will continue to do out of this location. The Minister and his team, we have already committed to the team resources,” President Ali said.
Several police services have been relocated temporarily to St. Stanislaus College. Some Police officers stated that the fire service responded to the fire 30 minutes after the report was made. The fire which started just after 11:06hrs on Saturday destroyed over 80 per cent of the building, some of which were more than 100 years old.
Engineers have already begun looking at designs to rebuild the station, Minister Benn revealed during a briefing on Saturday.
The public is hereby advised that the 911 number (line) continues to be in operation.
Kaieteur News had reported that Marlon Gentle, Rtd Fire Chief, stated that on many occasions in the past such as the 2005 floods, the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital fire, and other fires on Regent Street, Georgetown, Minister Benn, during his term as Minister of Public Works, assisted him in his work as a fire fighter.
In Minister Benn’s address earlier this year, he thanked Gentle for his devoted service to Guyana and for leaving the GFS with an overall improved functionality and capacity.
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