Minister responsible for National Security Charles Savarin has expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of construction of a fire station at the Melville Hall Airport.
Speaking at a press conference at the Roseau Fire and Ambulance Department on Wednesday, Savarin said that with the impending night landing service to be introduced at the airport, it is critical that a proper fire station is constructed. He said that there have been unnecessary delays in the construction of the structure.
“At the moment…I am particularly concerned that we have not made as much progress as I would have liked us to make with regards to the construction of a new fire station at Melville Hall. We are introducing, pretty shortly, night landing; we will have to increase the number of firemen because their hours will be much longer and therefore we need to have more accommodation. We will have more appliances than has normally been the case and we need a better, a larger, facility,” Savarin explained.
Savarin said that much time had been spent on plans and identifying a suitable spot for the structure, but the construction has still been delayed.
“And that is all part of the development of the Melville Hall Airport, and I would have wished to see much greater progress being made. There was a lot of time spent in identifying the location and coming to terms on the plans and all of the various things and so on; but I thought that we were unnecessarily delayed in the implementation of that aspect of the project, the whole Melville Hall air access improvement project,” he told Wednesday’s press briefing.
Savarin said that though his new ministry is not responsible for the Melville Hall Airport, he is now responsible for the fire service and this places him back in the position to be involved in the project. He said he is looking forward to a speedy conclusion.
its time fire officer walk out and demand what thet want saverin done love fireofficer you will loose revenue it time fire officers be looked at with respect
Mighty Sparrow singing, ‘We like it so.’ Compare the cost of improvements to the Melville Hall Airport to take on night landing and the time that it takes, with that of building an international airport to accommodate larger planes and the time factor. In case we forget, add the cost of the damage done to the marine environment in Marigot. Tons upon tons of red soil, dumped in the sea, choking many species of fish.
In Dominica, it is those who dare say, planning or no planning of that project was bad who are villains, not those who did not plan and execute properly. Commonsense tells us that the longer one idles on any project the more costly it becomes. Do Dominicans know how much $$$$$$$$$$$$ have been spent so far to fix up Melville Hall and how much longer will it take to complete?
Just questions in the air. Many seem not interested in knowing. Doh care how our money is spent?
Nana
February 11, 2010 7:59 pm
There are presently 2 older, 1 not so very old and 2 new Fire / crash rescue tenders stationed at the Melville Hall Airport.
As to how many are presently operational, is another question!
Mr Charles Savarin were you not the Minister of Public Utilities, Energy and Ports for past number of years and in charge of Melville Hall Airport Upgrade project before Dec 18 2009 elections? Could you have not resolved the current issue fire station during your time as Minister of Ports?
Questions. What the new fire station ever int he plan for the new airport expansion? How many aerodrome fire tenders are at the station presently? How many more fire officer do you intend to employ at M/Hall? With night landing are the officers getting an increase in salary?
mike
February 11, 2010 11: 24 am
I agree with your comment. These appliances will be out of foam within 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the speed / rate of discharge! But more so, am elated that someone other than myself
knows a bit about the SIDES s3000 series. Not a suitable type of Fire tender for Dominica,
given our present airport arrangements.
here he go again oh please
Was there a master all these things would hev never happened. Its a lil bit there and a lil piece there. Need more comprehensive plans inorder that things run without such hiccups. Good idea to wrk with a plan. if u fail to plan in anything – you are planning to fail in everything>
Do’t worry Savrin when Tim Tim become PM soon he will straighten up all ah you. The DABAR Party is in shambles and so is the work that they are doing. Soon it will be the Dominica United Workers Dabar Party. DUWDP in power and things are going to be even more screwed up.
Everything is viky Vy- just like the toll booths at Melville Hall. We must get serious. What is happening in D/ca is just plain and simple “Square Pegs in round Holes”.
Charles is not saying what the real problem is. Is it me or is he just dancing to his own beat. Savrin tell us what the problem is- is it the delay due to government red tape, lack of fund or mismanagement of funds. Is material? Is it technical specification , is bad planing.
can sombody tel me how much money spend in that airport
4 wd landrover ambulances are top heavy and can turn over very easilly when conering ( not the kind of thing u want to be inside during an emergency ) and the s 3000 fire engine is built for large airports that have underground piping to transfer foam to any spot on the air port (mellville hall does not have that ) so the truck will be out of foam so quickly it will remnder itself useless moments after reaching the scene to surport that truck the airport needs foam transportation trucks as well ( at least 3) so that when one is feeding the fire tuck one can be loading up and the other in transit to or from the area its needed …
Are these people serious? First there is no planning for the station, the miniter who was responsible at that time for the airport construction, is now complaining about the pace of the construction of the fire station, he is not identifying where the problem lies or what the solution should have been. The other issue is that they can build the most state of the art fire station at melville hall, until they equip the Marigot hospital to be able to handle an emergency the magnitude of a plane crash, all of that is just postering.
To ‘just a thought’
February 11, 2010 9:22 am
International grade Fire Fighting equipment has long arrived and is presently on location at the Melville Hall Airport. Two SIDES s3000 series all terrain left hand drive crash fire tenders from France are on island and one 4WD Land Rover ambulance has been secured!
Take a drive up to Melville Hall. On arrival, you will be pleasently suprised, once you have seen these ‘state of the art’ equipment.
Sing for your supper Charlo…
.. He will find links to all ministry, try keeping busiy savern.
so much red tape, get the ** thing going already… make sure to get international airport grade equipment
why did they spend all that money on that project and just didnt go and build dominica wesley international airport is would have just been better for the country
Is Charles Savarin listening to himself? Dear Honourable Charles Savarin, are you/were you part of the administration responsible for the planning and implementing of the airport expansion……….. did you all not know that the construction of the Fire Sation would have had to be a key component of the Airport Expansion and should have been under construction almost simultaneously if the project was to be planned and executed properly?