Minister Benn urges Fire Advisory Board to address deficits related to firefighting

Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Robeson Benn and the Fire Advisory Board

Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Robeson Benn on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, attended the third meeting of the recently reconstituted Fire Advisory Board.

During brief remarks to the board, Minister Benn stated “there is a tremendous amount of work that has to be done both at the administrative and technical level”

He encouraged the members of the board to become aware, engaged and assertive in identifying and addressing the deficits which surround fire prevention, mitigation and firefighting in Guyana.

Some of the issues highlighted by the Minister included the reviewing of building codes, preservation of assets of the Guyana Fire Service and the expansion of the GFS to three new towns; Mabaruma, Lethem and Mahdia, where new Fire Stations are currently being constructed and are near completion.

“If I may continue on the topic of the hard aspects there is a plan to relocate the Central Fire Station after all these many years hopefully to somewhere near Durban Park. There are funds assigned in the budget for this purpose, initial funding I would say, there has been talk over the years of congestion in the Stabroek area and the difficulty of having the assets rollout from that area, both the fire assets and the ambulance service.”

Other issues highlighted by Minister Benn include the restoration of fire hydrants in the city, improving administrative control, proper strategic management of assets, as well as the training of firefighters which the Minister described as being in a serious deficit and lacking sufficient engagement.

These and other issues are expected to be addressed by the Board.

The Fire Advisory Board was reconstituted on April 9, 2021 for a period of one year.

The Board is chaired by Ramesh Sugrim and will meet every first Wednesday of the Month in the Ministry of Home Affairs Boardroom.

The purpose of the Board is to

Advise the Minister on all questions pertaining to the prevention of fires and matters incidental thereto, and
To perform the duties and exercise the functions mentioned in the Fire Prevention Act Cap 22:01.