Cause for concern

It is cause for national concern that Point Fortin with all of the industrial expansion that has been taking place there within the past decade still does not have a Fire Services division which is fully equipped to handle major fires, industrial or otherwise. In turn, Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s instructions to National Security Minister, Martin Joseph, to identify some of the minimum resources needed for the Fire Services in Point Fortin, rather than provide comfort to Point Fortin residents, has merely drawn attention to and emphasised an existing deficiency.
   
Indeed, the directive which demanded of Minister Joseph that he ensure that the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services had all the necessary resources to do its job was an absurdity, since Manning as Prime Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet should have kept himself and been kept fully briefed. Had he been, then the uncomfortable situation at Point Fortin would have been brought to his attention a long time ago. Point Fortin should not have had to call on other Fire Stations, save in an emergency, for assistance as it did recently when fire did extensive damage to businesses operating in the Borough. Had Point Fortin the necessary fire fighting equipment, the personnel could readily have contained the blaze without outside assistance.

We ask the question: What would have been the position had there been a major industrial fire at Point Fortin? Within the past decade there has been a literal explosion of industrial activity there, what with Atlantic LNG’s construction of three liquefied natural plants there, and a fourth under construction. And while Atlantic LNG has comprehensive safety features in place relative to its plant and equipment and is understandably prepared to deal rapidly with any emergency, Point Fortin’s Fire Service, nonetheless, should be in a position to assist meaningfully if called upon. Joseph’s advice that Cabinet recently approved the construction of two modern fire stations, with one sited at Couva to handle any emergency at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, while welcomed, does not explain why the concerns of Point Fortin appear to have been ignored. The National Security Minister should not have had to wait until the Prime Minister, who was himself clearly reacting to the recent major fire at Point Fortin, issued instructions, for him to have acted.

Admittedly, he was only given the portfolio a few months ago. However, it would have been understood that Minister Joseph on his assuming the portfolio would have seen as a priority his apprising himself immediately of the needs of his Ministry. Additionally, Joseph’s comments relative to the proposed construction of a modern fire station at Couva has somehow conveyed the impression, however inadvertently, that the Fire Services division there is not positioned to handle an emergency at the Pt Lisas Industrial Estate. Clearly, what is needed is a comprehensive national plan to upgrade the response capability of the Fire Services Department, and the early approval and execution of that plan.