My heart is heavy as I address you today in the wake of yet another devastating house fire—this time in Urlings. I extend prayers and support to those affected. Our community stands with you, and we will not rest until real solutions are in place to prevent tragedies like this from continuing to happen.
The old Bolans Police Station was closed in 2017, and after years of neglect, construction on a new station began in 2022. Yet here we are in 2025, with no completed facility and no clear timeline for when our community will finally get the emergency services we desperately need. This delay is unacceptable, and the consequences are dire.
But let me be clear—this was not just an unfortunate accident. This was a failure of leadership. A failure of planning. A failure of priorities. And it falls squarely at the feet of the ABLP administration, which has dragged its feet and left our communities defenseless for far too long.
Despite acquiring four new fire trucks and a ladder truck—purchased based on the Fire Department’s own assessment—our emergency response in the south remains shockingly inadequate. Johnson’s Point Fire Station, which should be our first line of defense, has been left without a proper fire tender. Instead, a truck with a 360-gallon capacity has been assigned to serve the southern side of the island. Experts indicate that anything less than 1000 gallons is simply not enough. Imagine placing the lives and livelihoods of thousands of residents and businesses at risk with a fire tender that doesn’t even have the capacity to properly fight a grass fire, much less a house fire!
This mismanagement is made even worse by the government’s failure—year after year—to complete the Bolans Fire Station. This is not just an unfinished project; it is a symbol of neglect, broken promises, and reckless disregard for public safety. With major hotels like Jolly Beach, Carlisle Bay, Curtain Bluff, South Coast Horizon, Keyonna Beach, and countless guest houses relying on emergency services, this is not just a community issue—it is a national embarrassment. What will it take for this administration to act? A larger fire? The loss of more homes? The loss of lives?
Enough is enough. The people of St. Mary’s South have been shortchanged for too long. We are tired of the excuses. We are tired of the empty rhetoric. And we are tired of being treated like an afterthought while millions are wasted on projects that do nothing to improve our safety, our security, or our future.
I am calling on the government, civic organizations, and every single resident of this community to rise up and demand immediate action. It has been 8 years and the Bolans Fire Station must be completed. Our fire stations must be properly equipped. And our people must no longer be left vulnerable because of government inaction.
We cannot afford to wait for the next tragedy. The time for talking is over. It’s time for action. It’s time for accountability. And it’s time for a government that puts the safety of its people first.
Let’s stand together, let’s demand better, and let’s make sure no more families have to suffer because of the negligence of those in power.
Hon. Kelvin Simon
M.P. for St. Mary’s South
