Prime Minister visits Calliaqua police station after fire
Prime Minister Hon. Dr Godwin Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Major St. Clair Leacock, and Hon. Nigel Stephenson visited the site of the police station in Calliaqua to assess the damage caused by a fire that broke out on Friday night.
The visit was organised with senior government officials and police officers to determine the way forward and to rebuild the facility, ensuring the security of Calliaqua and the wider area.
On Friday 13th March 2026, a fire broke out at the site that destroyed the police station and spread to a nearby bakery, with the roof of the former collapsing as a result of the blaze.
Hon. St. Clair Leacock visited the site the evening of the fire and praised the fire department’s work, which showed courage and determination in limiting the damage caused by the blaze.
The fire occurred just days after Leacock criticised the condition of the police stations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which were left by the previous administration.
In Parliament, he said:
“From officers to men, they live and sleep in squalor across St Vincent and the Grenadines. It’s deplorable; it’s depressing, and we, as an administration, have had to cut and contrive to address the unsatisfactory working conditions under which all men and women serve in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Plans to improve police station facilities nationwide were already in discussion, and this recent incident further highlights the importance of these plans.
The Prime Minister said,
“The event that took place in Calliaqua should not have happened. It is clear to me that serious upgrades are needed to our police facilities to make sure we are looking after the people and ensuring the security of our country. Our fire department did a fantastic job in limiting the damage caused by the fire, and I commend their bravery in the face of such danger.”
The government is working to establish the causes of the fire and how to prevent similar events from happening in the future.