The Ministry of Home Affairs in a statement today rejected the criticism of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in relation to Guyana’s Fire Fighting capacity.
According to the statement, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) record speaks for itself.
The Ministry noted that since the late 1970’s, fire hydrants became unreliable because of vandalism or low water pressures to support firefighting.
“As a matter of fact the Chief Fire Officer in 1979 wrote in his 1979 Annual Report: There is urgent need for improvement in the water supply in New Amsterdam and this has been drawn to the attention of the authorities concerned since the highest standard for fire protection for the area cannot be a reality in new of the present risks and projected development until the present unsatisfactory condition is remedied.”
According to the Ministry, this statement clearly indicates that the fire hydrant situation had began deteriorating since in the late 1970’s under the PNC Administration.
“With the advent of the PPP/C to office, the new Government has taken several fire protection initiatives since 1992 to present. In this regard, three (3) new stations were opened in the Berbice.
There are now six (6) fire tenders and one bowser in the Berbice Area as against one Fire Station and one Fire Tender in 1992. The previous government sought to construct a Fire Station at Corriverton in 1978 but the station was never completed beyond laying the foundation.”
The Home Affairs statement noted that since 1992, the Guyana Fire Service has produced three Strategic Plans and is presently working on a new plan to further modernize the Service.
