...Unfair to blame fire service for Hadfield St inferno -PNCR
Stabroek News
November 21, 2003
The People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) says that it is unfair to blame the Guyana Fire Service for the fiery disaster which destroyed Royal Castle, Auto Supplies Ltd and Mohamed's Enterprise last week Thursday.
The statement was made during the party's weekly press briefing held at Congress Place, Sophia.
The party said in its statement that the service was bereft of resources and lacked the support of other agencies whose role was critical to fire-fighting. The PNCR said too that citizens from depressed communities have for some time been crying out at the destruction which comes about when the service is unable to protect them from fire damage because of inadequate tenders, empty hydrants and clogged drains.
"Today the people of Guyana stand helpless after being stripped of all protection, which is to be expected from agencies such as the Guyana Police Force, the hospitals and now the fire service," the statement said.
"We expect that the government will announce immediately the assistance to be given to the business owners as well as the numerous employees who are displaced at this time of year as was done in the case of the New Amsterdam fire," the PNCR stated.