Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 11, 2018 Letters
Dear Editor,
I am so disappointed having learnt about the wholesale theft by ranks of the Guyana Fire Service of personal properties belonging to the crew and passengers of the crash-landed Fly Jamaica aircraft at CJIA.
I consider this an act of international notoriety that puts our country in a bad light.
What is even appalling is the fact that firefighters who are internationally recognized as first responders, are expected to uphold humanitarian goals and practices in life threatening situations where persons’ lives are at risk or endangered due to natural or man-made disasters.
Take for example the heroic and exemplary performance of firefighters currently fighting raging wildfires at Northern and Southern California. There has not been a single report of looting or theft by the firefighters even though they are active in an affluent neighbourhood where the rich and famous live and where there may be many valuables lying around.
Thus for Guyanese first responders under the guise of firefighters to act in such an irresponsible and disgraceful manner is to bring the noble service of firefighting into disrepute.
To steal from crewmembers and passengers at a time when they had to ‘run for their lives’ from a crashed passenger airplane is a crying shame and a grave embarrassment to our country and people.
This despicable act has brought into sharp focus once again the much debated question of trust and respect for ranks of the disciplined services.
This time, it is the Guyana Fire Service, that has reignited the public confidence debate, not because of acts of heroism nor magnanimity by its ranks, but because of acts by its own ranks that have damaged irreparably, the humanitarian image of the Guyana Fire Service.
By defaming their badges as a symbol of public faith and by the sullying the public’s trust in the Fire Service, the ranks involved in petty theft while aboard the crashed aircraft, abandoned the lofty ethics of the Guyana Fire Service. They should be decorated with badges of shame.
Common decency and professional conduct were replaced by greed for other people’s property. The crashed aircraft became a target to commit crimes that offered a high reward with little effort and risk. These are called opportunity crimes.
The GFS Stakeholder Consultation Forum held recently at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre to address Emergency Medical Technician services (EMT) was expected to ‘see all members within the GFS being trained in first responder skills in order to save lives in emergency cases.’ However, the lectures delivered at that event, seem to have fallen on deaf ears in light of the crimes committed on the aircraft by ranks who would have attended the forum.
And Minister Ramjattan’s question;
“Are we up there for certain planes landing in difficulty? Ensuring minimum damage is done or no damage at all” though timely, appears to have signalled the possibility for ranks in the guise of first responders to commit opportunity crimes under the pretext of saving lives and protecting property. This was clearly demonstrated at the scene of the crash landed Fly Jamaica aircraft.
The embarrassing incidents of theft perpetrated on an international aircraft by ranks of the Fire Service must have brought home to the Chief Fire Officer, the need for more intense screening of applicants and rigorous, on-going training for recruits to the Guyana Fire Service.
Strict supervision of junior ranks by a senior experienced officer at all times especially in operational situations as the one involving the Fly Jamaica is of critical utmost importance.
Finally, it is imperative that the Firefighter’s Prayer be drilled into the heads of every new recruit so that he or she, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will and under the most difficult circumstances will, at all times, uphold the noble ideals enshrined in the said prayer;
‘When I’m called to duty God, wherever flames may rage, give me the strength to save a life whatever be its age;
Help me embrace a child before it’s too late,
or save an older person from the horror of that fate;
Enable me to be alert and hear the weakest shout,
to quickly and efficiently put the fire out;
I want to fill my calling and give the best in me,
to guard my friend and protect his property;
And if according to your will I have to lose my life,
please guard with your protecting hand, my children and my spouse.’
Yours faithfully,
Clement J. Rohee
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