Proposed Ulster Spring Fire Station in limbo, residents disappointed

Western Bureau:

Residents in southern Trelawny, who were anxiously looking forward to the construction of the promised fire station in Ulster Spring, are now wondering if the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has walked back the plan because the site that was prepared has, seemingly, been abandoned and is now covered in bushes.

“It look like de man dem change dem mind and nuh tell we … . De place bush up back, and nobody nuh contact de man dem who dem selected fi train as firefighter,” a resident told The Gleaner yesterday. “It is a big shame because if we have a fire right now, de nearest fire station deh over 45 minutes away, and with de pothole dem pon de roads dem, yu can add another 45 minutes.”

After years of lobbying by the residents, Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, in April 2023, announced that $42 million was earmarked for the construction of a fire station in Ulster Spring, Trelawny, much to the delight of the residents. The residents’ joy increased when preparation of the site started, and several young men were identified to be trained as firefighters.

However, since the initial clearing of the site, nothing has happened, and the site is once again covered in bushes, which has caused some residents to believe that the project has been abandoned.

“Work has ceased, pipes and a water tank have been removed, and the area is now overgrown with bushes,” said Runnel Williams, one of the many concerned residents.

When The Gleaner contacted Superintendent Roland Walters last week, the head of the Trelawny Fire Brigade, for an update on the situation in Ulster Spring, he was reluctant to talk about it and said all queries should be directed to the Commissioner of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, Stewart Beckford.

However, when Beckford’s office was contacted later in the week, his secretary told The Gleaner that “Mr Beckford is unavailable now, but you can leave your contact information, and he will call you back”.

With Beckford not returning the promised call, The Gleaner has since made repeated attempts to reach him without success.

At the time of the announcement by McKenzie, who had visited the proposed location, it was Walters who told The Gleaner about the recruitment drive to identify suitable candidates to be trained as firefighters to man the fire station at Ulster Spring upon completion.

In addition to Ulster Spring, the proposed fire station would be in line to support communities such as Alps, Sawyers, Albert Town, Freeman’s Hall, and communities on the Trelawny-Manchester border, to include Christiana, which is 45 minutes away.

Aside from calls to Beckford, The Gleaner has also been making attempts to speak to the local government minister since last week, but his phones also rang without answer.

editorial@gleanerjm.com