KINGSTON, Jamaica — Member of Parliament (MP) for Clarendon Northern, Wavell Hinds, has lamented that despite writing to Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie on two occasions, “the people of Clarendon Northern have not received even the dignity of a response”.

“I find that deeply concerning,” Hinds added as he addressed the matter in the Parliament on November 3 during his contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate.

Hinds told the Parliament that a fire station was needed in light of a what he described as a growing concern that demands urgent attention – the occurrence of numerous bush fires across the rural constituency.

“These fires have devastated crops and destroyed the hard work and investment of our farmers. For a small farmer, the loss of a field is not simply the loss of vegetation. It means the loss of months of labour and the loss of income needed to support a family,” said Hinds. Of particular concern for the Opposition MP was the proximity of some of these fires to schools and other populated areas. He said fires close to institutions such as Kellits High School create an obvious risk to students, teachers, school property and surrounding communities.

Hinds worried that when these fires occur, residents are  forced to rely on fire services responding from Frankfield.

“The trucks are impeded by the poor condition of our roads so it takes a considerable amount of time to traverse the constituency to get to the affected areas,” he pointed out. The lawmaker pointed to implications including fires destroying crops, fires threatening communities, and fires occurring close to schools.

Said Hinds, “We have a shortage of water and added to that, the emergency response vehicle must travel from outside the constituency and contend with deteriorated roads before it can reach the affected area. In an emergency, time matters. A delay can mean the difference between containing a fire and watching it spread, destroying homes and lives”.

He said that fortunately, “we have not had any loss of lives but we should not let it get to that before we act. The residents of Clarendon Northern should not have to wait for a major tragedy before their need for an adequate fire service is recognised. Our schools, farms, homes and businesses deserve protection. Our people deserve an emergency response system that is accessible and timely”.

“I am therefore renewing my call for the provision of a fire station to be built to serve Clarendon Northern, together with the necessary personnel and equipment”.

Hinds also said support for farmers must be strengthened through reliable water, improved farm access roads, agricultural inputs, extension services and measures to help them recover from natural disasters.

“We cannot tell farmers to increase production while leaving them to contend with unreliable water, poor roads, devastating fires and inadequate emergency services. If we are serious about food security and rural development, then we must be serious about the conditions under which our farmers operate,” he said.