HGP Nightly News – Acting Fire Chief Gregory Wickham says longstanding structural and plumbing defects at the Guyana Fire Service headquarters led to the situation in which firefighters were reportedly forced to use buckets of water, but remedial works are now underway.
Wickham addressed the controversy on Thursday night following criticism on Facebook about conditions at the Homestretch Avenue facility.
He rejected suggestions that the situation resulted from a disregard for firefighters’ welfare, saying both the GFS administration and the Ministry of Home Affairs had been addressing the problems.
“We pay great attention to staff welfare, well-being, health and safety to ensure that we all have a good working environment,” Wickham said.
According to the acting Fire Chief, defects have affected the building since the GFS began occupying it.
He identified a leaking roof, cracks in the walls, broken or cracked exterior glass and recurring plumbing problems in the washrooms and lavatories.
Wickham said repairs had been undertaken periodically to keep the building functional, but the repeated nature of the problems eventually prompted the authorities to pursue a more comprehensive intervention.
He confirmed that the headquarters was constructed by Mohamed’s Enterprise and alleged that some of the defects had persisted since the service moved into the building.
The contractor has not publicly responded to Wickham’s comments, and his account of the building’s construction defects has not been independently verified.
Wickham said the remedial works were retendered after the GFS and the ministry decided that a broader approach was required.
The successful contractor reportedly began working on August 6, 2026, with the washroom facilities among the areas being rehabilitated.
The acting Fire Chief described the project as ongoing and indicated that additional work would be undertaken to address the building’s other defects.
He also used the address to highlight investments made in the Fire Service, including the acquisition of personal protective equipment, breathing apparatus and additional fire tenders.
Breathing apparatus allows firefighters to operate in smoke-filled and low-oxygen environments while reducing their exposure to dangerous fumes.
Wickham said the GFS has also expanded to more than 20 stations, increasing its presence in communities that previously depended on units located farther away.
He highlighted the work of the service’s Emergency Medical Technicians, reporting that the programme’s personnel had assisted in the delivery of nine babies.
Those developments, he argued, demonstrated that the headquarters controversy should be viewed alongside efforts to expand and improve the wider Fire Service.
Wickham nevertheless acknowledged that the working environment at the headquarters required attention and assured personnel that the outstanding problems were being addressed.
“We will continue to ensure they have a good working environment so that the work we produce would stand the test of time,” he said.
“Have the confidence that all issues are being acted upon.”
