FOR the past two years, the Fire Department has been sending out letters to owners of designated premises warning them that if they do not switch to the Automatic Fire Alarm Monitoring Control System (SPKA), they would not get their fire certificates (FC). The department is still sending out such letters, which some designated building owners find intimidating. These owners currently have the Computerized Fire Alarm Monitoring System (CMS) that are running in good order, and the government has not made a ruling on the new system yet.
This matter was brought up in Parliament last year and the Housing and Local Government Minister said her ministry would look into the monopoly given to the provider of the new system.