By MALCOLM STRACHAN

AFTER the fire that hit Downtown Nassau last week, and the multiple blazes that continue to affect Abaco, one thing seems very clear right now: Our nation does not have the capacity it needs to fight fire.

It has not gone unnoticed that our leaders have gone very quiet in the aftermath of the Bay Street fire – while Abaco residents are watching volunteer firefighters tackle blazes deep into the night while wondering where their MPs are.

The lack of resources for fighting fires cannot be denied – indeed, it can be clearly demonstrated by one indisputable fact. The airport fire truck was summoned to help deal with the Bay Street fire, meaning the whole airport had to be shut down. Rules dictate that you have to have a fire truck at an airport if you have major passenger flights coming in. So short were we in resources to deal with what started out as a single property fire that we decided to close the whole airport down to send the fire truck off to join the response.

Of course, anyone who was at the scene of Thursday’s fire does not need to be told the response was lacking.

There was a shortage of fire engines dealing with the fire. Craig Flowers, the webshop owner, told The Tribune at the scene that a police inspector had said no more than one truck was available – this was an hour after the fire began.

He talked of how firemen on three different streets were each demanding that the one truck being sent as a back-up be sent their way, which speaks to the lack of central organisation in the response.

Others pointed to responders trying to put out the fire in a derelict building even as the flames were spreading to an occupied property, and questioned the tactics being used.

Tactics are one thing, and I am not a firefighter so I leave that judgement to others, but those firemen still need the basic resources to be able to do the job.

The following day, roads were closed as efforts continued to deal with the aftermath, and the still-smoking remains.

However, there was no sign of government officials coming out to face the music, except for the Tourism Director General who trotted out to say that the blaze that destroyed people’s homes and ruined people’s lives had “no impact to the visitor experience”.

Sure, that’s nice. What about Bahamians? But no, Latia Duncombe trilled about how “together, we walked Bay Street, and it’s still bustling. We see the cruise ship passengers. It’s vibrant. The tours are ongoing, as was expected”.

The response from Bahamians online was blunt, to say the least.

Absent was a government response on what was being done by social services to assist those displaced, or from senior figures to update on exactly how many fire engines are in service right now and what is being done to expand and upgrade our resources. No sign of that. But hey, the tourists are ok, so everything must be alright.

The Tribune noted in one of its updates that the police had decided against a press conference, where questions could have been asked, until the investigation is complete. That sounds very much like no one wants to give answers until they have figured out what the best answer they can give will be. What about actual answers? What was the delay in getting fire engines to the scene? How many trucks are currently in service on the island? Those kind of questions do not need a delay while you complete an investigation. If the officers in charge of those resources do not know the answers right away, then they should not be in charge of a hot dog stand let alone a fire truck.

Meanwhile, any other news about fires in New Providence were greeted with heightened alarm as people wondered what next. There was at least one case of residents saying they put out a fire themselves due to the lack of response from fire services.

But let me backtrack a little, I asked how many trucks are currently in service on the island – that is, New Providence. I should have said islands – because Abaco is going through its own journey through hell right now too.

Not that you would know if you just listened to the government. I could not see a single update over the weekend from official sources despite multiple fires on Abaco.

Where are the MPs in this? Have you heard them screaming in Parliament, demanding that resources be allocated to protect their constituents? No, nor me. Have you heard them pledge to take it up with the Prime Minister to ensure Abaconians have the support they need? Still no. You might want to remember that come election time. However, Central and South Abaco MP John Pinder spoke up yesterday - and had action to back it up, announcing that a water aircraft had been secured and was en route to Abaco to help fight the fires It was due to arrive yesterday. Pinder was one criticised for a lack of communication - but while he may be late to raise his voice, he is welcome in joining the fight.

Meanwhile, Roscoe Thompson III was posting updates on Facebook to let people know what was going on, and urging readers to “pray for rain”.

As I write this, The Tribune has reported that firefighters in Abaco were out working until four in the morning to protect homes in Sweeting’s Village. Residents were watching and fearing as the flames drew closer.

Some of this should not be hard. It should be relatively simple for an update to be given as to how many working fire engines there are on each island. It’s not difficult, it’s the work of a spreadsheet. There is no reason why residents should not know how many engines are functioning at any given time.

Then the question becomes whether that amount, whatever it is, is enough for the task at hand. It either is, or it isn’t. If that is because of engines out of service for repairs, fix them. If they are irrepairable, replace them.

Do those engines have the necessary equipment, including access to water? Yes or no. Again, if yes, great. If no, what is the plan to deal with that, and the timescale?

And then there are the people on board those engines, the firefighters themselves. Are there enough of them? Do they have the appropriate training?

If the answer is no to any of these questions, then we have issues that need to be resolved.

Now our leaders may well be working through some of those questions in private – I would imagine after a series of serious fires lately, they ought to be. But as far as the public can see? Well, they are left waiting on Bay Street for fire engines that do not come in time. They are watching as the airport shuts down to divert resources to deal with what began as a fire in a single property. They are left in a residential area as the Abaco fires creep closer.

All of those people deserve answers in public rather than hoping for deliberations in private.

Watch and see if those answers come.