Firefighters climb the ladder

Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard wants to see fire officers deserving of appointments rewarded.

He made the call this morning during a ceremony where 22 Fire Officers 2 received their instruments of appointment.

While Maynard said he was happy to see the officers get their due, he said there were several others who did not qualify to be appointed as set out by the Public Service Appointment Act, 2020.

According to the Act, a person who is not appointed to the public service but has been employed in a temporary office or an established office for three years or more immediately before October 1, 2020, is deemed to be appointed to the post.

Additionally, if a person has been acting in a post for three years or more before October 1, 2020, he or she is deemed to be appointed to the post.

Maynard said officers who did not qualify after giving yeoman’s service should not be forgotten.

“As we celebrate let us not forget our colleagues who were acting for approximately 14 years and were left out of this arrangement. It would seem that they are being punished for being progressive, developmental, and aspiring for greater heights. This is a situation that cannot be allowed to grow root and therefore no effort will be spared in pursuing a resolution on their behalf.

“I don’t believe that it was in any way meant to omit these dedicated and committed officers, and therefore, the administration will be working with our ministry and the Ministry of the Public Service to have this anomaly rectified in the shortest time possible. We cannot have disgruntled officers,” Maynard maintained.

“There are approximately eight or ten other officers who would have been acting long, but if you understand how the Act was framed it said those officers who were in the position at October 1, 2020. There are officers who were acting much longer than that but because of their development and because of persons retiring they were asked to act at a higher level and therefore they did not qualify under this Act, but provisions are being made that they will receive their due reward.”

Maynard acknowledged that it had been a challenging year so far for the BFS due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the deaths of two officers in quick succession.

He urged those being promoted to use the opportunity to be fair supervisors and not to take advantage of the opportunity presented. (RB)