Ten people were promoted to the rank of Divisional Fire Officer on Friday and more promotions are expected in the coming months. Acting chief fire officer Kenny Gopaul, speaking at the promotion ceremony, Fire Service headquarters, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, said there are other vacancies in the ranks which were being addressed by the Public Service Commission.
“It is a responsibility which is not optional. We will be looking at the effectiveness and execution of their service,” he said. He warned officers that their duty was part of a learning experience and they should not feel they were beyond counselling.
“Don’t feel that you are above instruction and advice. Accept all the advice, you will not be able to do all on your own,” he said.
Deputy chief fire officer Roosevelt Bruce said the Fire Service had been operating without legitimate ranks.
“We will be working on getting things done according to regulations. We informed the commission that we have vacancies and they will have a very short waiting list,” he said.
Those promoted to the rank of Divisional Fire Officers included: Mervyn Layne, Earlin Gopaul, Marlon Smith, Stephen John, Siewnarine Ramsaran, Cecil Davis, Leo Joseph, Andy Hutchinson, John Remy and Godrey McKellar. They previously held the rank of assistant Divisional Fire Officer.
President of the Fire Service Association, Leo Ramkissoon, said the association was happy to see the promotions beginning to take place and noted that it will bring mobility within the lower ranks. Ramkissoon said the vacancies had been there for many years and hope that the other promotions take place more speedily.
“However, it is a bit concerning that no representatives was invited to attend. It has a direct effect on second division and we should have been invited.
“There are hundreds of vacancies in the lower ranks to be filled and the association is particularly concerned because they have been vacant for a number of years,” he said.
Ramkissoon congratulated the officers on their promotions but noted that while the fire stations now had appliances to respond to reports, some of them were in a dilapidated condition.
“That is still a problem now,” he said.