KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie, says that steps will be taken to improve the facilities at the Buff Bay and Port Antonio Fire Stations in Portland.

He gave the assurance during a tour on Friday where he stated that it is important that the island’s fire services be afforded the best facilities possible.  

“I’m going to do everything that is humanly possible to ensure that those two locations are conducive of good working environments. These men and women deserve to work in conditions that allow them to perform at the level they are expected to.  I have already taken steps to correct it, and I’m going to do all that I can to make sure it is done,” he stated in an interview with JIS News.

McKenzie commended the administrators at the Port Antonio station, pointing out that through their own ingenuity; they had created a good environment for their firefighters, even though they faced some infrastructure challenges.

“Based on their own initiative, there are some things that they will be doing [to upgrade]. However there are some things that the ministry has committed itself to doing and will be doing that over the next couple of weeks,” he noted.

Some of the improvements the minister has committed to include increasing the complement of computers from one to at least three, infrastructural corrections and improving the accommodations.

The minister further added that he had heard the concerns for another fire unit and promised to at least look at the request in the new financial year.