In the aftermath of the tragic Mahdia dormitory fire, which claimed the lives of twenty children, the cries of grief from the parents and families affected reverberated throughout Guyana. The nation was forced to confront the unthinkable — the loss of innocent lives in such a horrific and avoidable manner. It was a moment for national reflection, for solidarity, and for real, tangible support for those who had lost so much. Unfortunately, what followed was a series of empty gestures, a hollow display of action that failed to address the true needs of the grieving families.
Grief counsellors were tasked with submitting a needs assessment report on the parents from Micobie and the surrounding areas. However, it soon became painfully clear that the tragic reality of the situation had been overlooked in the process. The assessment, though presented as a step toward providing support, ultimately felt hollow—an attempt to create the illusion of meaningful action, while in reality, no genuine intervention took place. This is not an attempt to blame the counsellors, but rather to highlight the stark absence of the critical grief support these families so desperately required. The entire process seemed to serve as a mere formality, a report for the sake of having a report, without any substantive follow-up or action.
The term “grief support” is often bandied about in the wake of tragedies, but it seems that for many, the meaning of the phrase is lost in translation. Support doesn’t simply mean checking off a box or submitting an assessment. It involves a sustained, empathetic response to the emotional and psychological devastation experienced by those affected. Real support would have meant providing counsellors who specialize in trauma and grief, creating safe spaces for families to express their pain, and offering tangible assistance to help them cope with their loss. What we have witnessed instead is a system that has failed to live up to its promises.
The fire in Mahdia affected not just the immediate families of the victims, but an entire community. The trauma extended far beyond the walls of the dormitory. Parents, siblings, and even distant relatives are left struggling with the overwhelming weight of grief. This was evident during a visit to the area by Stabroek News. Yet, despite the magnitude of the loss, the response has been disjointed at best and non-existent at worst. Grief counsellors, who might be expected to serve as a lifeline during such a time of emotional turmoil, are left to submit a report that does little more than outline the obvious — that there are people grieving, and that those people need help. But where is the follow-through?
The lack of real intervention speaks volumes. It speaks to the deep, systemic failure of the state and the agencies tasked with supporting vulnerable communities in times of crisis. The tragedy should have prompted an immediate, coordinated response that included grief counseling, mental health support, and even financial assistance for the affected families. Instead, what we’ve seen is a shallow attempt at assessment, with no tangible resources or services being offered.
The failure to provide real grief support is not just a matter of missed opportunities; it is a matter of accountability. When the government and relevant agencies fail to intervene in the aftermath of such a tragedy, they are complicit in the suffering of the affected families. Their lack of action reveals a larger, more troubling trend: a disregard for the emotional well-being of citizens in times of crisis. It is as if grief is an afterthought, something to be acknowledged in passing but not addressed in any meaningful way.
The parents are left to navigate their grief without the proper tools, support, or guidance. Many have communicated to SN that they are still in shock, unable to process the enormity of their loss, while others are struggling with feelings of anger, guilt, and helplessness. Without proper counseling and mental health support, these emotions are left to fester, only further deepening the pain and trauma that the families are enduring.
The lack of intervention also points to a broader societal issue — one where the emotional and psychological needs of citizens are often relegated to the sidelines in favour of more visible, but ultimately less impactful, forms of assistance. In the case of the Mahdia dorm fire, the focus has been on public statements, on political responses, on promises of justice for the victims. But what of the parents? What of the siblings and friends who are left behind, grappling with a loss that words cannot fully capture? The failure to address their grief is a glaring oversight that demands our attention.
In order to truly support the parents and families affected by the Mahdia dorm fire, we need to move beyond the superficial. We need to invest in long-term grief counseling services that are accessible to all those who are suffering. We need to ensure that mental health professionals who specialize in trauma are available to provide ongoing support, not just for the first few weeks or months, but for as long as it takes. Grief does not have a set timeline, and the needs of these families will not simply disappear once the media attention fades.
The Mahdia dorm fire was a national tragedy, one that should have united us in our collective grief and compassion. But in its aftermath, what has emerged is a system that has failed to live up to its promises of support and healing. The assessment submitted by the grief counselor was little more than a formality, that did nothing to address the real needs of the affected families. If we are to honor the memory of those lost in the fire, we must do more than offer empty words and hollow assessments.
