The government of Antigua and Barbuda is moving forward with the formal separation of the Fire Service from the Royal Police Force, with 20 new fire officers to be trained as part of the institutional reform.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said Friday that Cabinet approved a proposal brought by the Attorney General and the Minister responsible for public safety for the training and employment of the new officers.

“The Cabinet approved a proposal brought by the Honourable Attorney General and Public Safety Minister for the training and employment of 20 new fire officers for the fire department division,” Merchant said during the post-Cabinet briefing.

The recruitment comes as the government advances plans to fully separate the Fire Service from the Police Force, a reform that has already received legislative backing.

“It is a priority for the government,” Merchant said when asked about the separation. “Legislation would have been passed. Administratively, it’s a work in progress.”

He explained that while the transition continues, the new recruits will follow the traditional training pathway before being incorporated into the standalone Fire Service structure.

“Hence, these officers will be trained the traditional route and then incorporated into the fire service,” Merchant said.

The separation is expected to modernize emergency response operations and allow the Fire Service to function with greater administrative independence.

Officials have described the move as part of broader public sector reforms aimed at strengthening specialized services and improving operational efficiency within national security and emergency response agencies.

The timeline for full administrative separation has not yet been disclosed, but Merchant indicated the transition is actively underway.