KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Spokesperson for Local Government Noel Arscott has expressed concern about an apparent inadequacy of the Old Harbour Fire Department in St Catherine.

This, according to Arscott, is due to the lack of support from the Government. His comments come on the eve of a massive fire, which gutted a section of the Old Harbour Market on Friday morning.

The former local government minister lamented reports that fire fighters from the Old Harbour Fire Department were unable to fulfil their task due to “a lack of adequate vehicles, equipment and supplies”.

Arscott stressed the importance of a “fully functional Old Harbour Fire Station,” which he said, “is vital to support what still remains an important and most essential transportation corridor, as well as the east west south coast highway”.

“In as much as we now have the PJ Patterson Highway adjacent to the Old Harbour Road, this route still carries a lot of local traffic as a result of the housing boom over the last couple of years along the route,” he said.

The Opposition spokesperson noted a recent incident along the PJ Patterson Highway when a public passenger bus overturned, leaving four people dead and 16 wounded.

Arscott called on Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie to “focus on what is most critical to securing the limbs and lives of our citizens, by ensuring that the Old Harbour station in particular because of its strategic importance as well as all other fire stations in Jamaica, are properly outfitted so as to deliver on the job expected of them.”