Government Moves Ahead with Fire Service Separation from Police
The government of Antigua and Barbuda is moving forward with the formal separation of the Fire Service from the Royal Police Force, with 20 new fire officers to be trained as part of the institutional reform.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said Friday that Cabinet approved a proposal brought by the Attorney General and the Minister responsible for public safety for the training and employment of the new officers.
“The Cabinet approved a proposal brought by the Honourable Attorney General and Public Safety Minister for the training and employment of 20 new fire officers for the fire department division,” Merchant said during the post-Cabinet briefing.
The recruitment comes as the government advances plans to fully separate the Fire Service from the Police Force, a reform that has already received legislative backing.
“It is a priority for the government,” Merchant said when asked about the separation. “Legislation would have been passed. Administratively, it’s a work in progress.”
He explained that while the transition continues, the new recruits will follow the traditional training pathway before being incorporated into the standalone Fire Service structure.
“Hence, these officers will be trained the traditional route and then incorporated into the fire service,” Merchant said.
The separation is expected to modernize emergency response operations and allow the Fire Service to function with greater administrative independence.
Officials have described the move as part of broader public sector reforms aimed at strengthening specialized services and improving operational efficiency within national security and emergency response agencies.
The timeline for full administrative separation has not yet been disclosed, but Merchant indicated the transition is actively underway.
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Fire Man ah Fire Man and Police ah Police…..Retired ACP Fire Chief Weaver must be smiling…
This matter has been discussed for some years now.This should not have happened in the first place.Where the Fire Chief and fire fighters reports to the Commissioner of Police.They are two separate entities.Fire fighters are not trained to make arrests.Police are not trained to fight fires.The idea to merge them under one umbrella was as dumb as a door nail.CUTIE MOIVE FASTER ON MATTERS OF NATIONAL SECURITIES.PERHAPS LOOSING SOME POUNDS WOULD HELP YOUR MOVEMENTS.AND RATS AS LARGE AS CATS WOULD NOT HAVE TO YOU,IN ST.JOHNS.
Merchant, you look like Max Worse.
You lie more than him.
Our journalists are gullible and unenthusiastic.
Whatever they hear you say they run with it like lime and spoon race.
When was tge legislation passed paving the way for the separation of the fire and police departments????
That is an absolute LIE.
And the journaist who do not read, do not follow up and do not research regurgitate whatever lie you tell them.
Then they print it like gospel and you sit up on the hill laughing at their level of competence.
For the avoidance of doubt let me say it loudly and clearly.
Absolutely NO legislation as been passed for the separation of the fire officers from the police department.
Are you related to Max?
Then again, when you find a donkey you ride it.
Our journalists are lazy so you feed them in bed.
Move ahead with solving the damn crimes in the country. Don’t know if you read the witness testified that someone paid for the HIT JOB on Mr. Christian, get the police to find out who this scumbags is. We need to bring his or her ass to JUSTICE pronto
The department of corrections, fire department, police and the Intelligence and national Security Unit/Agency (INSU of INSA) should be separate agencies, with experts in appropriate fields within them.
WHAT THE HELL…! …20-NEW FIRE OFFICERS: …PART OF INSTITUTIONAL REFORM?
WHAT INTELLECTUAL STUPIDITY:
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From professional knowledge/experience:
(a) ‘…EVEN THOUGH ‘…220 FIRE OFFICERS WERE TO BE TRAINED: such
(b) …HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH INSTITUTIONAL REFORM:
Such has more to do with ‘…STAFFING/PERSONNEL’ FOR THE FIRE SERVICE.
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REMEMBER WHAT THE MIGHTY SPARROW SINGS:
‘…IF YOU PUT A HOG IN A PALACE, IT STILL REMAINS A PIG.’
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JESTING:
A long time ago, it was said that a little ‘…SCHOOL BOY,’ was called to the front of the Class to the word ‘…HOG,’
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The spelling he reportedly gave was: ‘…PIG, HOG.’
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Seemed he was right. He had the whole darn Class and Teacher laughing.
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NOW FOR ORGANIZATIONAL REFORM:
This news story is clearly not about ‘…ORGANIZATIONAL REFORM.’
It is certainly not the ‘…20-PERSONS TO BE TRAINED’ THAT WILL BRING ‘…INSTITUTIONAL REFORMATION.’
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CONJOINED-TWIN:
This seems more clearly as that usually done with ‘…CONJOINED-TWIN.’
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SEPARATION OF SERVICES
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Since it is about ‘…SEPARATION OF THE SERVICES,’ to be on its own, they may wish to look at these:
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(i) …ORGANIZATION MISSION STATEMENT
(ii) …ITS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
(iii) …ITS CULTURE: (Reform)
(iv) …ITS BEHAVIOR: (Reform)
(v) …CHAIN OF COMMAND:
(vi) …DIVISION OF LABOUR:
(vi) …DEFINED SYSTEM OF WORK:
(vii) …WORK ETHICS/PUNCTUALITY: (Reform)
(viii) …CODE OF DISCIPLINE:
(ix) …REWARD AND PUNISHMENT:
(x) …OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT/UPWARD MOBILITY:
(xi) …BASED UPON CERTAIN CRITERIA:
LEADERSHIP/MANAGERIAL SKILLS: …DISCIPLINARY CONTROL
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PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE:
SENSE OF PURPOSE: …DIRECTION: …RESPONSIBILITY: …ACCOUNTABILITY
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WHAT THE HELL…!
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JUST SOME BASICS
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PUT NO HOG IN PALACE, AND CALL IT ‘…INSTITUTIONAL REFORM.”
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STILL REMAINS A ‘…PIG.’
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NOT LIKE THE ONE FOR ‘…OBSTI’S, THOUGH.
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