OCHO RIOS, St Ann — For more than 30 years, representatives of Claremont Division in St Ann South Eastern have been lobbying for a fire station to be built in the area and the now sitting councillor, Kaydian Harty (People’s National Party), is keeping the call alive.

At each monthly meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation Harty asks its Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Brown-Cunningham for an update on the planned fire station.

“A year ago I lost a constituent to a house fire, and I renewed the calls for a fire station to be built in my division. The people of my division are not comfortable, and I’m asking again that the council write and get an official update from the Ministry of Local Government re the fire station in Claremont,” urged Harty during Thursday’s meeting.

She was referencing the 2024 death of 51-year-old truck driver Norman Hayes.

Councillor Lloyd Garrick (PNP, Moneague Division) added to Harty’s call as he argued that the fire station would save lives.

“If there is a fire in Claremont, Moneague, Bensonton — or anywhere in the area — we don’t have a chance because for a fire truck to be coming from Brown’s Town or St Ann’s Bay is a problem. So it is a genuine case that we all should fight for. South-east is the largest constituency in the hills and [yet] there is no fire station,” said Garrick

A disappointed Harty accused the authorities of dragging their feet.

“It is unacceptable that this small process is taking us years,” she chided.

However, the corporation’s CEO refuted Harty’s claim that nothing is being done. Brown-Cunningham told the meeting there has been dialogue between the Ministry of Local Government and the National Land Agency (NLA) about acquiring land that was identified to build the station.

“I accept that movement has been slow and we have not arrived at the place that we want to be, but movement has been happening,” said Brown-Cunningham.

“In the last year, a letter came from the Ministry of Local Government indicating that they got a letter from NLA about accepting the land. And our permanent secretary signed off on it — because we agreed that they would accept on our behalf — and the letter was sent back to NLA. The update we have had since then is to say that NLA needs to sign off so that the title can go to Ministry of Local Government,” she added.

Brown-Cunningham said she understands Harty’s push for a fire station as it would be a great addition to the constituency. Councillor Ian Isaac (JLP, Exchange Division) also threw his full support behind the move.

“This is a step in the right direction. We are talking about lobbying for 35 years and we have seen progress during this administrative period; so the process of getting the Claremont fire station will happen soon,” he assured.

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HARTY… I’m asking again that the council write and get an official update from the Ministry of Local Government re the fire station in Claremont