Recommendations by the fire service for grills to be removed from the Mahdia dormitory prior to the blaze that claimed 20 lives were made to the regional education officer through the RDC but never acted upon.
Sources had told Stabroek News that the grilled windows at the Mahdia Secondary School female dormitory were flagged by the fire service as a hazard in November of last year and February of this year.
Following an inspection of the building, this newspaper was informed that a report with recommendations was forwarded to the Regional Education Officer (ReDO) via the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). However, it is unclear why those recommendations were not implemented.
The fire service had highlighted the need for the grills over the windows to be removed, the dormitory and school be equipped with fire extinguishers, and for the installation of a smoke detector. A fire inspector’s report was also submitted to the Guyana Fire Service headquarters.
However, yesterday, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand told Stabroek News that they were not privy to the recommendations in the report.
Manickchand said that while she holds the overall responsibility for ensuring the nation’s children receive a quality education, all out-of-town schools and dormitories fall under the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
“No, I did not. Nobody in the Ministry of Education would have seen such report. Issues such as maintenance and needs would be represented at the regional office which falls under the Ministry of Local Government,” she explained. It was noted that with the intent to decentralize services, the system was designed to give regional governments the responsibility of oversight.
However, it was noted that while her ministry can make recommendations for improvements and other upgrades, the budgetary allocation would be made towards the local government ministry’s account. There has been no statement from the Ministry of Local Government on this matter.
Sources told this newspaper that according to their understanding, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn is not privy to reports as the system allows for heads of agencies to take note of the recommendations and take necessary measures to have them implemented.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) Peter Ramotar, last week, while responding to questions from this newspaper on what actions they would have taken since the recommendations were handed over by the fire service, became agitated and asked, “Why are you asking all of these questions now… do you have such systems in your office?”
He nonetheless stated that to his knowledge, the dormitory was equipped with some amount of fire extinguishers but he could not say how many were in place.
“As far as I am aware we have fire extinguishers. I cannot say how much but I know we would have had extinguishers on location,” Ramotar responded.
Meanwhile, the RDC has assured the Guyana Fire Service that the grillwork which secures the windows of the male dormitory nearby will be removed before classes resume, sources close to the fire investigation say.
The assurance of the measure comes following a visit by the Mahdia Fire Service to the male dormitory in the aftermath of the inferno that claimed the lives of 19 female students and a five-year-old boy.
A date for the reopening of the school and dormitory is yet to be announced. The township, located in the centre of Guyana remains in a state of mourning as families prepare for the funerals of those who perished.
Kato
Stabroek News was told that fire inspectors will be dispatched next week to Paramakatoi and Kato to conduct inspections of the schools and dormitories.
Acting Fire Chief Dwayne Scotland on Monday told this newspaper that an exercise to inspect all schools and dormitories is ongoing and had commenced approximately one month prior to the Mahdia fire. This proactive measure, Scotland explained, aims to comprehensively evaluate the fire safety measures in place and identify potential hazards that can result in disaster. Scotland noted that the majority of inspections at the schools have been completed.
Since the Mahdia dorm fire, questions has been raised about the preparedness to respond in the case of fires at schools and dormitories across the country. Subsequent to the inspection, a report will be compiled highlighting the findings. Grillwork at the Mahdia dorm had been cited as one of the major problems on May 21.
Scotland, in a previous news article, while responding to questions from this newspaper, stated that there was limited evidence to suggest fire prevention measures were in place at the dormitory. He noted that while they found empty fire extinguishers, it is uncertain whether they came from within the dorm or from external efforts to fight the fire.
Following the fire, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn last week said efforts were being made to upgrade the fire prevention systems at dormitories and schools across the country. Benn explained that they (the GFS) are looking at ways in which they can enhance fire prevention measures. He stated that while the Guyana Fire Service has been participating in drills and talks at schools, he stated that they would have to relook at ways in which they can boost their efforts.
“Yes we will, obviously we have to upgrade the efforts… we have been doing [fire readiness inspections], fire drills and fire talks in schools that still happens with students and guards, but what we have to do is a comprehensive assessment in the dormitories to get a better handle of the situation,” Benn asserted.
The twenty children who perished have been identified as Sherana Daniels, twin sisters Mary and Martha Dandrade, Bibi Rita Jeffrey, Sabrina John, Loreen Evans, Belnisa Evans, Omefia Edwin, Natalie Bellarmine, Andrea Roberts, Lorita Williams, Nickleen Robinson, Sherena Daniels, Eulanda Carter, Lisa Roberts, Cleoma Simon, Tracil Thomas, and sisters Delecia Edwards and Arianna Edwards along with five-year-old Adonijah Jerome, the son of the caretaker. While this was certainly the most devastating fire on record for the country, it is not the first dormitory fire.
On August 31, 2008, a fire broke out in the girls’ dorm at Waramadong Secondary School. Three of the 12 students there at the time – Eleven-year-old Zanita Sam, 13-year-old Savylin David, and 13-year-old Sharmileza George, all of Kubenang, Upper Mazaruni in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) – perished in its wake. The entire building, which had no electricity, was destroyed. In December 2007, the boys’ dormitory of the Bartica Secondary School also in Region Seven, was completely destroyed in a fire of unknown origin but with no fatalities.
