Commentary

In need of good leadership

JUST IMAGINE; IT'S 2:00 p.m.,a fire starts and a woman is trapped in the house. Her neighbours call the fire brigade.

It's 4 o'clock and the woman who made it to the floor of her granddaughter's room, makes a short, low, cry.

Meanwhile at the Fire Brigade's office, the officers are still in their uniforms that they had hurriedly put on when the call came in. Two officers half-heartedly look in the engine of their fire truck , and the others take off their uniforms, as if aware that the truck would not be going anywhere - yet again.

One could be heard saying even if the truck worked, there was no point in going - they had no hose, and breathing equipment.

The above case while fictitious is in no way far-fetched. The Sunday Gleaner, yesterday highlighted the plight of the fire brigade. So much has been written about the fire brigade, yet a change is quite slow in coming. The Brigades across the island have made their appearance in THE STAR, and even after the cries of their workers and the obvious dilapidation of the buildings, something remains to be done.

The chairman of the fire brigade, Delroy Brown, though on the defensive, in the article was at least truthful when he said his performance was mediocre. A leader needs to be honest, but above all, he needs to love his job and those who he supervises: "It is too hard and it takes too much time," he is quoted as saying. But what job doesn't?

The society and the firemen shouldn't have to suffer at the hands of those who lead who have little or no interest in what they do.