Cops seek Freeman St man for questioning
As investigations into the devastating Ministry of Health fire continue, police yesterday issued a wanted bulletin for a Georgetown resident.
George Lashley, said to be around 60 of Lot 187 Freeman Street, North East La Penitence, according to a police press release, is wanted for questioning.
Lashley is stout, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and brown in complexion.
Anyone who may have information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the police. All information will be treated with the strictest confidence, the release stated.
Lashley is the fourth person that police have expressed an interest in since the July 17 blaze.
Former Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder Allen, Heston Bostwick and Archie Poole were all taken into police custody shortly after the fire and after being questioned released on station bail.
So far two persons have been charged over the incident.
On July 17, Clayton Westford, 19, an office assistant of 7 West La Penitence and 21-year-old Tedena Bagot, a pork-knocker of 32 Second Street, Alexander Village appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson charged with setting fire to a public building.
They were remanded to prison and made another court appearance earlier this month but were further remanded until September 29.
A huge fire sparked by channa bombs completely destroyed the Ministry of Health’s main building and an annex at Brickdam in the wee hours of July 17, devouring decades-old records, vehicles and a number of key divisions in a major blow to the health sector.
The inferno erupted some time before 3 am and continued for three hours amid a downpour and a valiant battle by the Guyana Fire Service to save three buildings in the ministry’s southern wing and its immediate neighbour, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).
The fire levelled the offices of two ministers, a permanent secretary, the chief medical officer and administrative staff, the Registry, Disease Control Unit, Adolescent Health Unit, Tobacco Control Unit, Standards Department and a section of the Accounts Department.