A decision on whether the Hadfield Street Drop-In Centre, which was destroyed by fire almost two weeks ago, will be rebuilt for use again will be made on completion of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) currently under way.
The fire, on the morning of July 8, claimed the lives of Joshua George, 3, and his brother Anthony George, 6. Twenty-nine other children who were at the facility escaped. At a press conference later that day, the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) and Ministry of Social Protection announced that the Ministry was taking full responsibility for the incident and would cover all expenses of the funeral.
The two boys and their three siblings had been taken from their parents Sonia and Leon George on Wednesday, July 6, following reports of abuse and neglect.
President David Granger had ordered that a CoI be held and the former Guyana Defence Force spokesperson Colonel Windee Algernon accepted the mandate to conduct it with a deadline of July 22 for completion.
A source from the Ministry of Social Protection said that a decision on whether the building would be repaired would only be made after the completion of the CoI. “I don’t know if they are going to tear it down or simply repair it but we are waiting on an official report from the fire service and no decision has been made as we are waiting on the completion of the CoI,” the source said.
“A senior official isn’t happy with the children going back to the building because it is the second fire,” the source added.
In 2010, a fire had destroyed the top flat of the Drop-In Centre, and it was later repaired and refurbished. Head of the CCPA Ann Greene had also explained that the new building was equipped with firefighting and preventative measures and the staff were also trained.
Meanwhile, the surviving children, including the remaining three George siblings, are currently at the Sophia Care Centre as the ministry has no other building to house them. “I don’t know of any other building that we can house the children properly so I am not sure either what is going to happen,” the source said.
Over the last week, social and human rights activist have held protests in front of the CCPA’s office decrying the staffing and other conditions that might have contributed to the children dying in the fire. They also protested the treatment being meted out to the children’s parents.
