Construction of the new Guyana Fire Service (GFS) Headquarters at Home-stretch Avenue, George-town is moving “apace”, Fire Chief (ag) Gregory Wickham says.
During a telephone interview with Stabroek News on Thursday, Wickham said he has visited the construction site on several occasions. He said the structure is scheduled to be completed before the end of the year.
“Construction is moving apace…..The team of persons there are working at a pace that should be able to have the structure completed before the end of the year,” Wickham said.
A decision has not yet been taken as to what will happen to the building which currently houses the GFS headquarters in the Stabroek Market area. The building is a relatively old one.
Questioned about this, Wickham said a discussion will have to be held with the policymakers including Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn on the way forward.
“I am not too sure what would happen. I don’t know what’s the plan of the policymakers….The fire service would have to sit with the policymakers, with the Minister and those responsible on the way forward”,” Wickham said.
In January last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs had unveiled the plan for the construction of the new headquarters which is being built west of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue and next to the proposed Guyana Football Federation complex.
The project is expected to cost $648 million.
Presently, the fire service’s headquarters is situated in the congested Stabroek Market area. The heavy traffic in the area often negatively affects the fire service’s response time.
The new building is expected to house a control room, office space for senior officers and administrative staff, and a conference room.
