Fire service to charge fees: Roo

By KELVIN JOE
THE Papua New Guinea Fire Service will be charging service fees to sustain and manage its operation, chief fire officer Bill Roo says.
Roo said the fire service had provided some key services free to the public and Government agencies over the years, but increasing expenses and continuous deficit in national budget had forced it to charge fees.
“We will start charging fees for other service such as assisting in building plans and inspections, and provide training for cost recovery apart from our core work of fighting fire,” he said.
Speaking during the regional stakeholders’ consultation workshop to review the Fire Service Act on Monday, Roo said fees would be endorsed for non-core activities provided by the service to support the operation.
According to deputy fire chief officer (administration) Jennifer Kaeyo, the fees would enable the fire service to recover some of the cost for providing the service.
“It is not like a business to make profit, but, to recover and support the operation to continue reach out to the public,” she said.