CABINET NOTES

The Chief Fire Officer who is approaching retirement was invited to Cabinet along with the former Chief of Defense Staff in order to explain to the Cabinet why several firetrucks had been disbanded at the Burma Dump.

The Fire Chief reported that one truck was 39 years old, another 29 years and two were 27 years old; all had been deemed unusable and beyond repair by the department. The life of a fire truck is usually ten years, dependent on the frequency of use. In the case of the Antiguan and Barbudan fire trucks, they put out more than 600 fires per year and drive sometimes on unpaved roads when putting out bush fires.

The Cabinet agreed that the new fire trucks that will be replacing several of the old ones will be purchased from a firm that certifies the fire-trucks-mechanics; the trained mechanics will be stationed at the Government Workshop.

The Cabinet congratulated Assistant Police Commissioner Weaver for his outstanding service as Chief of the Fire Department, and for his thirty years of service to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.