Home Affairs minister, Clement Rohee met members of the Advisory Board of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Tuesday to discuss ways in which the service could improve its effectiveness.
According to a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA), the minister praised the attention the board has paid to fulfilling its mandate in keeping with the Fire Prevention Act and promised that its work plan will be given the necessary support.
The release said that last year several legislative measures; including the Fire Prevention (Amendment) Bill, Fire Service (Amendment) Bill and the Fires and Casualties Inquiry (Amendment) Bill; were put in place to strengthen and improve the delivery of the vital service of fire protection.
Rohee disclosed that additional amendments will be taken to the National Assembly to complement and/or support the existing ones. He also noted that the ministry is committed to dealing with a number of outstanding matters which are of public concern. These include fire hydrants, supply of water, and derelict buildings which are seen as potential fire hazards.
“Over the last couple of years, the Fire Department has improved capabilities to deal with fires as it is better equipped now,” he said adding that it continues to build capacity in terms of human resources as it strives to deliver quality service. The service is not yet at the stage of perfection, but that despite the many challenges, Guyanese can expect a high quality service from its firefighters, the minister said.
“On the other hand, government is looking at the GFS and the Fire Prevention Board to fulfil their respective mandates,” the minister said.
