-the first ever for the East Coast
HOME Affairs Minister Clement Rohee commissioned the Mahaica Fire Station on Friday afternoon by unveiling a plaque, which he dedicated to President Bharrat Jagdeo. The decision to dedicate the facility to the President was not taken lightly, as it serves as a poignant reminder of one of the many achievements accomplished under his watch.
According to Minister Rohee, the Mahaica Fire Station comes equipped with a fire tender so as to allow it to make timely responses to fire calls from all East Coast Demerara villages, between Bachelor’s Adventure and the Mahaicony Bridge.
Addressing those gathered for the commissioning ceremony – fire officers, Mahaica residents, and the media – the minister declared the occasion historic, and disclosed that Cabinet had approved of the Home Affairs Ministry taking the building from the Health Ministry at approximately $14M for its rehabilitation.
He added that the Friday opening was not a planned event, although the ministry had fully expected the building to be operational before year end; but it happened anyway, even though the contractor had requested additional time to fully complete works, since general and regional elections are imminent.
The minister declared that with the opening of the Mahaica Fire Station, the Campbellville Fire Station would no longer be tasked with fighting fires occurring in certain East Coast Demerara villages. And with the spanking new Mahaica Fire Station being operational, East Coast Demerara residents would get faster responses to their emergency calls.
Minister Rohee stated that the Mahaica Fire Station is the first of its kind to be established on the East Coast Demerara; and given the location, it is an indication that people are always at the centre of the developmental trust of the current administration.
The minister pointed out that rapid development is taking place on the East Coast of Demerara, and the increasing population recognises the need for a fire station, since response times are lengthy and fire tenders usually reach fire scenes after buildings have already been consumed by the flames.
The minister added that the current administration has also put facilities in place to foster development, and it was the public funds that were used to construct the Mahaica Fire Station for the provision of fire fighting services to the residents of Mahaica.
He noted that the Mahaica Fire Station was also built to cater for events that could hamper development, and to provide a sense of human security as it relates to fires. He encouraged residents to develop a working relationship with the GFS, in which auxiliaries would be formed and trained to support the GFS to work in the community.
Rohee said that the Mahaica Fire Station is the fifth to be commissioned during his term as minister of home affairs, and presently the groundwork for the construction of a fire station at Diamond, East Bank Demerara is on stream.
In brief remarks, Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle said Friday was indeed a ‘red letter day’ for the GFS, as he outlined the need for such a facility in the ECD community.
Giving statistics, Gentle told the gathering that, in the past four years, the GFS had seen a reduction in fire damages; and in 2009, the GFS had some disastrous fires in which several buildings were completely destroyed. But in the last two years, the GFS had not had any major fires.
He credited this achievement to the use of strategies and fire fighting equipment which was gifted to the GFS by the MOHA through Minister Rohee.
Gentle added that the GFS began working with the MOHA for the construction of the Mahaica Fire Station since 2003, and the primary role of the GFS was to respond in a timely manner to fire calls on the East Coast of Demerara.
After the opening ceremony, Minister Rohee and Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle took the gathering on a tour of the building.