By Lynford Simpson, Staff Reporter
THE REVELATION yesterday that overtime payment to the island's fire-fighters was almost $120 million annually, and that 60 per cent of fire hydrants across the island have stopped working had members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) calling for an immediate overhaul of the island's fire service.
Major George Benson, commissioner of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, made the disclosure before PAC chairman Audley Shaw when the Ministry of Local Government appeared before the committee. He blamed the overtime payments on staff shortages within the service.
The $120 million in overtime payment represents 20 per cent of the $600 million approved by the Ministry for running the service during the 2000/2001 financial year. Between April and December last year, $75 million was paid to the island's 1,300 fire-fighters for overtime work. The service has a full staff complement of 1,500. According to Major Benson, 80 per cent of the budget would be used to pay salaries.
Major Benson, under questioning from committee member Ronnie Thwaites, also revealed 60 per cent of fire hydrants across the island were not working while the remaining 40 per cent were in varying stages of disrepair. He disclosed the Ministry had only paid about $500,000 of the $20 million requested to repair hydrants. In fact, only $8 million of the $63 million requested by the Fire Brigade for its capital aid programme has been approved with $1.9 million already paid over.
Major Benson told the PAC a lack of funds over the years had compounded the problem as the lack of maintenance for hydrants made the repair jobs more extensive and more expensive. He pointed to a case in Hanover where a private contractor was paid $1 million to fix seven hydrants that had not been repaired for more than 10 years. Several parts had to be replaced.
The problem was compounded further as while the hydrants were owned by the National Water Commission, the fire service had responsibility for maintenance. And, according to the commissioner, "hydrants are subjected everyday to theft, traffic accidents, (and) paving over by contractors working on roads".
