ENFORCE BUILDING CODE

The code should make it mandatory for all new business places being constructed to have automatic sprinkler systems, and existing business places given a deadline within which these systems should be installed. It seems incredible that there are no regular inspections of fire hydrants and immediate corrective action taken with respect to any fire hydrant(s) found to be defective.

What is wrong with us that we have no regard for maintenance? Then when a disaster such as Saturday’s fire occurs our Fire Services, the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), everyone starts blaming someone else. When will we grow up and face responsibility? It is futile to talk about vandalised fire hydrants. When did the Fire Services discover the hydrants had been vandalised? On Saturday? It seems to us that everytime there is a large fire we hear the same old excuses. The talking goes on for as long as it takes to clean up the area and rebuild. Then we are back to square one - until the next fire.

The blame for the fire’s spread and the inability of the Fire Services to bring it under control for many hours after it had begun, must be seen as the joint responsibility of the Town and Country Planning Division, the Port-of-Spain City Corporation, the Fire Services Department, the Water and Sewerage Authority, the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Public Utilities. It is inconceivable that the Town and Country Planning Division as well as the Port of Spain City Corporation could have approved plans for most of the buildings at the People’s Mall, along with several of the extensions.

In addition, the laid back attitude of the Fire Services Department which resulted in the Department’s not ensuring, particularly in light of the fire that destroyed Excellent Stores in 2001, that the fire hydrants connected to the saltwater mains were functional makes uncomfortable reading. Whether it had been the Fire Services Department or WASA which had the responsibility for this was hardly the point. The Fire Services Department still had a vested interest in ensuring of the availability of water supply at all times from these mains.

Now we are hearing of "fast track" plans for a new multi-storey building to house a new mall, while a committee has been established to draw up proposals for the temporary housing of the mall’s vendors. We sincerely hope that the new structure will not follow the haphazard fashion of the past.

According to Gregory Aboud of the Downtown Merchants Association (DOMA) affected businessmen would be contacting their architects within a week to draw up and effect speedy approval of plans. It is a demonstration of faith in the market for business which downtown Port-of Spain affords, both through residents and others from outlying areas, who come into to the city to work and/or shop.

The Government in the final analysis must bear the ultimate responsibility by insisting on observance of building codes and on the effectiveness of agencies such as the Fire Services and WASA.