PM reiterates written commitment to Fire, Ambulance, says go slow is not justified

GREAT BAY--Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina confirms that on Wednesday morning his office forwarded to the Governor the full dossier and advice for a national decree to establish the Placement Committee and the Objection Committee required to execute the placement process for Fire and Ambulance personnel. The advice for the decree was signed by the Prime Minister last week Friday, and the complete file left his office early on Wednesday for ratification.

Prime Minister Mercelina stated: “Based on my various open communications with the union for the Fire and Ambulance personnel, there is no justification for a go slow.” The Prime Minister summarized the government’s written commitments to the three topics raised by the Fire Department and the union: the Function Book, the placement process, and retroactive payment.

• October 24: Letter from the Prime Minister to the union confirming agreement with the Function Book in force, agreement to proceed with the placement process, and agreement to realize retroactive payment.

• November 5: Follow-up letter reiterating the same three commitments.

• November 7: Comprehensive summary letter sent by the Prime Minister outlining all documents, meetings, and negotiations to date, and informing the parties of what was discussed on November 7.

• November 10: The union requested mediation; the Prime Minister agreed to a neutral mediator.

• November 12: Letter sent Thursday morning, November 12, reconfirming government’s agreement to accept the Function Book, proceed with the placement process, and realize retroactive payment, and confirming consent to mediation; transmission of the national decree dossier to the Governor to legally establish the Placement Committee and Objection Committee.

The Prime Minister noted that the Function Book process began before his tenure, passed through the CCSU platform, and was published in February 2025 as the lawful Function Book for civil servants, inclusive of the Fire Department. After publication, workers and the CCSU signaled concerns and asked for a full revision. The government agreed to revisit the Function Book within three years. The Prime Minister explained that placement and retroactive payment depend on having a valid Function Book. To avoid further delay, the workers agreed to proceed under the current Function Book while it is revisited within the three-year window. On that basis, government confirmed agreement to the placement process and retroactive payment.

To execute placement fairly and transparently, the Prime Minister outlined the required legal and administrative elements: a national decree to establish a Placement Committee to evaluate staff, an Objection Committee to handle any objections, and the subsequent steps to process retroactive payment after placement. The signed advice for the decree has been sent to the Governor together with the full dossier for ratification.

The Prime Minister said he consulted the Minister of Finance to align on funding for the placement process and retroactive payments. He explained that Finance is preparing the necessary budget provisioning and cash flow planning, subject to the legal steps now underway, including the national decree and committee work. According to the Prime Minister, once placements are finalized and verified, Finance will process payments within the applicable procedures, and both ministries will issue a clear timetable to the union in writing. “The decree establishes the Placement Committee and the Objection Committee, these bodies are required to evaluate staff, record objections, and finalize placements, which is the prerequisite for processing retroactive payment.”

Prime Minister Mercelina addressed the call for an additional commitment letter. “I have sent letters on October 24, November 5, and November 12. These letters carry the official letterhead, my authentic signature, and the government stamp. They explicitly state that government commits to the Function Book in force, the placement process, and retroactive payment, and they confirm agreement to mediation. Wanting a commitment for commitments is not how trust is built, especially since all of my communications bear my signature and stamp. These signed and stamped letters constitute clear and substantive commitments. Each time a 24-hour response was requested, I responded within the timeframe, and each response repeated the same three commitments.”

“We are fully committed to accommodate and work on all requests that have been put forward,” the Prime Minister said. “There are no hard feelings toward the Fire and Ambulance Department. Government recognizes that personnel have faced years of neglect. We are correcting that, step by step, in good faith, and through the proper legal process. Given the written record and the actions taken, there is no justification for a continuation of a go slow.”

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