President Bharrat Jagdeo has promised to assist 38 Laing Avenue residents who suffered heavy losses in Wednesday night’s devastating blaze to get back on their feet.
Responding to calls for “much needed assistance” in rebuilding from the affected families while on a visit to the burnt-out section of the area yesterday, Jagdeo, said his government empathises with the affected residents and is more than willing to assist. He later issued an open invitation to the affected persons to meet him at his office on Tuesday to discuss their problems and the assistance they will receive in greater detail.
“I understand how you are feeling and what something of this degree can do to you but instead of discussing your personal issues in the open come in and see me and let us discuss whatever it is you are feeling”, Jagdeo told one resident.
Immediately following his arrival at Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt the President was encircled by a thick crowd. Many were on the scene to lend support to the fire victims while others turned up to have a word with Jagdeo.
Some victims detailed how painful it was to watch their life’s possessions go up in flames and feel powerless. The image of the apartment building ablaze was uppermost in the minds of many who shared their experiences. But another victim, Angela Union wanted to meet the President to say that looters at the scene stripped her of everything the fire did not. She eventually got her chance.
Jagdeo made his way around the affected area and listened as persons recalled what happened to them. By the time he was ready to leave information was relayed to him about what happened; who are affected; how people are feeling and what they are hoping his government will do.
The major concern of those affected was looting. Several persons who still have a section of their homes standing expressed a desire to remain at the apartment building and save what is left of their possessions.
“If I leave people will carry away my windows and whatever they can carry I am certain. We lost so much things to looting during the blaze”, one woman said.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand was also on the scene earlier along with Chairman of the Guyana Relief Council (GRC), Yvonne Hinds; employees of the Human Services Ministry and staff of the GRC. The team met with individual families and listened as they opened up about the fire.
Manickchand pledged the full support of her ministry saying they will assist in whatever way they could. The victims reached out to the minister and Hinds, many speaking out on their personal tragedies. Hinds urged the families to be supportive of each other and to be grateful for what they still have – life, hope and a future ahead of them.
The GRC has offered assistance with clothing, personal items and other things. Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee was also at the scene observing the devastation and speaking with a few residents.
Between Lots 55 and 61
The fire gutted at least eight homes between Lots 55 and 61.
According to eyewitnesses the fire started around 8:45 pm in one of the range houses. Reports have said that the fire started in an apartment where a child had been left alone.
The families whose homes were completely destroyed are Langevine with 5 members; Peters, 4 members; Bowman, 4 members; Griffith and Fredrick, 17 members; Bell, 6 members; Anderson and Kitt, 2 members.
Looters
However there are several families whose homes were not directly affected by fire but are still counting losses. One such family is the Union family. Angela Union, a 65- year-old pensioner told this newspaper that she lost all her valuables not to the fire but to persons who pretended to be helpers during the fire. Union said she had money and jewellery stashed in several parts of her house and now that all the confusion of trying to save household articles is over she can’t find any. “People come in de house, dem break off all the wardrobe doors and ransack de whole place. I ain’t left with nothing,” Union lamented. She stated that she had money in her house that belonged to people but she can’t find any.
“Me daughter suppose to come in the country anytime and she send money fuh me to do some work in the house and all ah dat them gone with,” the teary-eyed Union related. She said that after news circulated that persons in the area had a fair idea of who the looters were someone went to her early yesterday morning and returned a Seiko watch. The elderly woman told Stabroek News that this is too much for her to deal with since she also lost a family member in the horrific Linden crash that same night that claimed 10 lives. “It’s double drama for me dem Lashley who dead in the Linden accident is me family
