“We are… committed to establishing a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the causes and circumstances of the fire which destroyed the dormitory, and to inquire into related issues. This will be done soonest. The findings of that inquiry will inform the way forward,” President Irfaan Ali said at Lethem on Thursday in his address to celebrate Guyana’s 57th Independence Anniversary.
Ali’s commitment came after numerous calls from civil society for a CoI into the devastating fire that swept through the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory last Sunday evening and claimed the lives of nineteen children while injuring others and leaving several hinterland communities in deep sorrow.
Alluding to what may possibly constitute the key objective of the CoI’s Terms of Reference, Ali asked, “What do we do in the face of this tragedy? We must use it to move us to a better place. To uplift our thinking and rededicate our efforts to this nation. We must learn from the circumstances. We must,” he said, “evaluate the consequences, and we must determine a path to avoid such reoccurrence.”
The president also committed to offering support for the grieving families, the injured and the traumatised community of Mahdia in Region Eight. “The government which I lead has committed to doing everything that is possible to assist those affected. This support will be ongoing,” the president said.
The president was fulsome in praise for the rapid emergency response as news of the fire filtered out from Mahdia and heralded the valour of the pilots, medevac teams and civil society.
“I have seen our brave pilots take to the skies in treacherous weather conditions and with limited visibility to ensure they reached Mahdia safely; to shuttle-in assistance and to medevac out the injured. Our emergency response teams were marvellous. They were quickly mobilised and deployed. They and so many others have performed admirably since the news broke of the fire. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their sterling efforts.”
Providing context to the secondary school and dormitory at Mahdia and implications of the tragedy, Ali said, “Those that perished were the heartthrobs and pride of their parents who had great hopes for them. The children’s own dreams have been so tragically snuffed out.” In the latter part of Ali’s speech, dedicated to the children of Guyana, he reminisced on the bonds that must have been shared by the victims of the tragedy, and cautioned, “This tragic day must bring all of you closer together in your schools, value your friendship, share abundantly your love and kindness, shoulder each other’s pains, counsel each other with wisdom and pressure each other only with good thoughts and actions.”
Antidote
While he thanked the many who came forward and offered varying levels of support, the president also appealed for unity. “Unity is an antidote for a crisis… The true character of our nation is to be found not in our grand achievements but in the manner, we respond when the chips are down… Let us, therefore, stand together, supporting each other, and particularly those affected by this tragedy. Let us also draw on our humanity and particularly our willingness to show empathy, to help those in distress and to lend a helping hand and supporting shoulder. This is the best way in which we can bring healing… But we will overcome this tragedy,” Ali said.
Ali briefly discussed the purpose for the occasion. “Fifty-seven years ago, the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted for the very first time…. Guyana’s Independence was gained through the heroic struggles and sacrifices of our people. Our history is punctuated by the overcoming of tragedies. The country has known pain before; it has experienced tragedy before. Blood was shed in the cause of freedom. Lives were lost. Sacrifices were made and hardships endured. Our ancestors paid a huge price for our freedom. They too faced adversity. But they persisted in the quest to ensure a better life for their children and their grandchildren. Today as we face a national tragedy, let us recall their struggles and sacrifices and how they faced adversity with a determined and unrelenting resolve. Today we are stronger, more resilient and, more importantly, a free and independent state, because of their courage and determination.”
Ali then sought to play to the largely indigenous audience of Lethem as he recited the track record of his almost four-year-old government. “Our track record on how you can trust us as your government, as leaders is undeniable. We are a listening government we are one that listens, hears, analyses and acts on peoples’ concerns. We have fulfilled our commitment to every segment of the Guyanese population…. We present a platform of trustworthiness, a more than 60% increase in all these pensions since we took office, the removal of more than 100 taxes, the granting of cash grants, the return of more than 2000 CSO (Community Service Officers) jobs in our Amerindian communities, our Amerindian brothers and sisters directly benefit from 15% of the first-ever user agreement for our forest carbon credit in the amount of G$4.6b.”
Ali continued by insisting that his government was delivering on promises made on new hospitals and health centres, better health services, training of nurses and the training of community health officers and more than 20,000 scholarships, adding “…we have delivered in housing, agriculture, food security”.
The president also recognised the successful Guyana athletes competing at the South American Games, the CARIFTA Games – the national football team, national cricket teams and students – all of whom, he said, earned Guyana glory regionally. He also recognized, “those who toil every day for the health, safety, upward mobility, and edification of our people.”
The significance of the Mahdia tragedy was not lost on the president as he asked the nation to, “… forgive me tonight for not delivering a traditional Independence speech, one extolling the virtues of our people’s historic struggle for self-determination and an end to colonial rule. You will forgive us also if our Independence observances of this year are subdued. This is done out of respect for the victims of the recent tragedy and out of sensitivity for their grieving families.” To the children of Mahdia Secondary and the dorms, he said, “you must have many thoughts and questions but know that our collective shoulders as a nation are yours. Your sorrow is ours and your pain we share.”
