On Thursday, the National Assembly passed the Fire Service (Amendment) Bill of 2009, along with the Fire Prevention (Amendment) Bill 2009, the Fire Service (Amendment) Bill 2009 and the Fires and Casualties Inquiry (Amendment) Bill 2009, with the intention of updating existing laws.
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, who has direct oversight of the Fire Service, piloted the bills through their final stages in the Assembly during a sitting boycotted by members of the PNCR-1G. Several members of the Guyana Fire Service were on hand to view the proceedings.
Rohee described false alarms as an extremely serious issue that required the heavier penalties being instituted. The minister noted that when the Fire Service is notified of a fire it does not routinely check to verify the authenticity of the claim but seeks to respond as quickly as possible. He said that from time to time these notifications are false. According to him, for this year the Fire Service has received 1,447 reports, 179 of which were false alarms.
Rohee said false alarms involved members of the Fire Service taking risks, in order for them to reach to a fire scene quickly. Such risks could lead to accidents on the roadways, he noted. Rohee also stated there were other implications of false fire alarms; he cited psychological implications for children who may be traumatised by the ordeal.
As an attempt to send a strong message to persons bent on creating such mischief, the legislation would increase fines for persons who knowingly raise false fire alarms to $100, 000 or imprisonment for six months. In the case of a second offence, the bill proposes that the fine be $150,000 and two years imprisonment.
Further, Rohee said there was a need for an education campaign to inform persons about the dangers posed by engaging in pranks and other activities which may cause a false fire alarm to be raised. He indicated that such a campaign is likely to begin soon.
Rohee also said there were practices that persons would engage in at fire scenes that needed to be deterred. Among these activities, was the practice of public spirited citizens trying to interfere with the operations of members of the fire service. The bill proposes that the fine for persons who are found guilty of engaging in such behaviour should be increased to $100,000 and 6 months imprisonment.
The minister also singled out persons who turn up at fire sites and impersonate members of the fire service. He said these persons seek to take advantage “mainly for economic and personal gain.” According to him, persons also impersonate persons of the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) and he suggested that they are planted at the site to spread misinformation, particularly as it related to the cause of a fire.
In a light moment during his presentation, Rohee expressed his amazement at the efforts some persons go to earn a dollar. After citing a few strange examples of such behaviour, the Minister declared: “If you don’t know what is going on in this country, call the Home Affairs Minister and he’ll tell you.” “And these are abled body people”, he continued, “these are not people who cannot get a job with Minister Robeson Benn, these are not people who cannot find a job somewhere in the Agriculture sector or the Health Sector, these are able-body people.”
According to Rohee, these impersonators are determined to create “mischief” and to spread “misinformation.” He said such persons may be hired by someone in order to create the impression that a particular blaze was caused by a particular means when it was not. He said persons found guilty of impersonating anyone would be fined $ 150,000 and imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.
The bill puts in place an increased fine for any member of the fire service who neglects to serve or refuses to obey instructions from the supervising officials at a fire scene. When the bill is enacted, the new fine will be $25,000.
Meanwhile, the Fire Prevention (Amendment) Bill 2009 seeks to increase the members of the Fire Prevent Board from 9 to 12 persons. The Board consists of representatives from public government agencies as well as representative of the business communities. Given changes that have taken place in the country and the city, there have been several challenges which would be better served by a larger board, Rohee opined.
The bill also seeks to address infractions by persons who use buildings contravening closing orders issued by the court, by increasing fines from $18,000 to a fine of not less than $40,000.
In cases when persons prevent or obstruct personnel of the fire service from conducting inspections of buildings, those who are guilty shall be fined $150,000.
The Fires and Casualties Inquiry (Amendment) Bill 2009, which was also passed, legislates that a magistrate shall hold a public inquiry into any fire casualty, where the report from an investigation by the Guyana Fire Service discloses sufficient reasons for holding an inquiry.
