The police and fire service yesterday got increased budgets – although they will still get less than they did two years ago.

The Ministry of National Security’s was allocated $62.1 million for policing – an increase of $860,000 compared with last year’s budget and $1.1 million more than was actually spent.

But the increase does not bring the budget back to the 2020-21 levels, when $63.7 million was allocated for policing.

The story in the 2022-23 Budget statement was similar for firefighters, which has been allocated $13.2 million for the coming year.

The figure is an increase of $75,000 compared with last year’s budget and an increase of $140,000 compared with what was actually spent.

But the sum fell $365,000 short of the $13.5 million spent in 2020/21.

Firefighters raised concerns earlier this year about a lack of manpower which had been worsened by Covid-19.

The Bermuda Fire Service Association warned that the crisis had led to longer response times and the temporary closure of fire stations.