Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds is criticising the Opposition for what he described as its reckless and irresponsible comments about the new Point Fortin Fire Station.
Hinds was responding to an urgent question posed by Opposition Senator Wade Mark in the Upper House yesterday. Mark hinged his question on comments made by the president of the Fire Service Association, Keon Guy, who was quoted in newspaper reports as saying that the Point Fortin Fire Station will be opened today despite not having essential equipment.
Opposition Member of Parliament, Dr Roodal Moonilal, had previously said the fire service had never been more ill-equipped as he chastised Hinds for presiding over an inadequate service. Moonilal added that citizens are dying in major fires while others are losing their homes.
Taking issue with the critique coming from the United National Congress, Hinds said the statements incited fear.
“When persons, especially officials of the State, go out into the public domain and issue reckless, unfounded and therefore irresponsible comments; when they appear to derive warped pleasure from spreading bad tidings, rumour mongering, it traumatises the society. It leaves people to feel unprotected and vulnerable, quite unnecessarily,” he said.
However, Hinds assured Mark that once the fire station opened, his fears would be allayed.
Hinds also refused to address Mark’s questions about whether the Fire Service Association president lied to the population by spreading propaganda about the Point Fortin Fire Station. The minister noted that Guy was not in Parliament to defend himself. Instead, he slammed the UNC Senator for being misguided.
“He (Mark) allowed himself to be misguided as I have described it, disgruntled, crotchety and complaining about something that does not exist,” Hinds said.
“He must wait. He should drink his porridge cool. Sip it. The opening is imminent, in fact, tomorrow (today) and I give the assurance that his unfounded fears, his frothing, will all be laid to rest tomorrow (today).”
The Point Fortin Fire Station was built at a cost of $37.4 million.
Association still concerned
Meanwhile, Fire Service Association (FSA) president Keon Guy continued to lament what he feared would be an under-equipped fire station. Guy said yesterday that the association was pleased with the imminent opening of the Point Fortin station and looked forward to seeing firefighters relocated there. He said the move follows numerous health and safety concerns the FSA identified at the old fire station along the Point Fortin Main Road and the temporary bungalow firefighters occupied while the government constructed the new facility. However, he said there were still concerns.
“Even though we have a new station, and we are quite happy to see that, the operational readiness of the Fire Service still remains a sore point for us. We are still under-equipped and, as a result, unable to deliver on the level of expectations that a 21st-century fire service is supposed to have for itself, and the members of the public expect,” Guy said.
The Point Fortin Fire Station’s jurisdiction exceeds the borough, reaching coastline communities such as Cedros, Erin, and La Brea. Guy said it requires an additional or new appliance. He said the current vehicle is over 20 years old and takes a long time to reach emergencies.
However, residents in the community and surrounding areas were optimistic about what the new fire station would mean.
Point Fortin resident Martin Alexander said that with the new facility, he hopes firefighters would up their performance.
“I am glad for the new station, but what I am looking at is the distance between Point Fortin and Icacos. If something happens in Icacos, where is the station to facilitate it? I think the Government should consider establishing an outpost within the boundary with one or two fire trucks instead of a truck leaving Point Fortin to go down there,” Alexander said.
Point Fortin to San Fernando Taxi Drivers’ Association president John David said the new station should make a big difference to the communities, as it also assists in delivering water to people.
David agreed with Alexander, calling for additional fire appliances and ambulances to service Cedros. La Brea resident Cheryl Ann Williams said that the location of the new fire station along Techier Road gives it a more centralised spot that would allow firefighters to respond to emergencies faster.