By Stanley Greaves
The recent fire that destroyed the Brickdam Police Station—an historic building that housed the Region 4 (A) Headquarters—has implications for the safety of our National Art Collection in the wooden building, Castellani House, Guyana’s National Art Gallery. It also serves as a reminder of disastrous fires that regretfully form part of the history of Georgetown, disasters which relate to both the material and intellectual resources of our country. As a child I actually witnessed the 1945 Great Fire that destroyed many historic wooden buildings. Standing on the steps of St. George’s Cathedral, I saw a river of flames crossing Church Street from Booker’s Stores to enter the small canal. Flames that eventually enveloped the Guyana Museum, the Post Office and other buildings.