7 homeless as fire guts 3 houses in suspected arson

Seven persons, including two children, are homeless after a fire, suspected to be arson, destroyed three small wooden structures along Hadfield Street, Georgetown, on Friday. The fire, which broke out just after 15:00h, is believed to have been deliberately set, following a bitter family dispute over the land.
Among the displaced is Tinesha Berkshire, who told Guyana Times that she received word of the fire while at work.
“I was at work and was just telling my colleagues that my father living over the road when I saw my phone ringing. As soon as I was about to answer, one of my workmates rushed and said fire, fire over the road. As soon as I heard that, I rushed out and when I reached, I saw the house on fire”, the woman said.

According to Berkshire, the family has been entangled in a longstanding dispute over the land where they live, which is leasehold property. She said tensions have been high over the past few months, with threats coming from family members over the ownership of the land.
“Everybody is fighting for a leased land… the person who burned down the house lives here, she is a relative and people encouraging her. She was sending threats and telling us that she would burn down the place. Neighbours say her… we all know where this came from,” she added.

The woman added that this was not the first time the property was allegedly targeted. As just a week ago, fire services were called to extinguish a fire in their yard, also believed to be set by the same relative.
“Neighbours saw her setting the fire that day she started lighting the fire from behind the house at the back. What she did here traumatised everybody,” Berkshire said, referring to her relative. “We also had a situation where my brother came home and found the house soaked in kerosene oil for which I believe my brother and father went to the police over.”
The fire on Friday reportedly started at the rear of the property, in the home of Berkshire’s 60-year-old father, Nigel Berkshire. She explained that her father, who had been away at work, had taken precautions by unplugging all appliances before leaving.

“They were saying that the fire started at the back of the house. There’s no way the fire could’ve started from anything in his house. My father didn’t even lock his door this morning. I locked his door. We have been living here (her and her kids) for nine years, my father has been living here longer. When I came, I saw my father in tears.”
When asked about their next move now that they would have lost everything to the fire, Tinesha said they would have to be compensated by the person who allegedly lit the houses on fire.
Meanwhile, Nigel overwhelmed with emotion, told this publication that the loss was devastating and he is still trying to understand how everything happened.
“I’ve lost everything – up to this morning I took out the money and I counted it and I had over $1.2 million in cash. I don’t keep my money in the bank, I save it at home. I lost everything and I am homeless. I lost everything. My passport, my ID card, birth certificate…I purchased a piece of land everything burned up… I don’t have anywhere to go because I am not a friendly person, I don’t mix up so I don’t have anybody,” he shared tearfully.
“I work hard and I save my money. I don’t party or go anywhere, I wanted to put a house on the land that I bought and that was what the money was for. But, now, everything is gone…”.
The family is now calling for justice, adamant that the fire was no accident. “We’ve lost everything, and whoever is responsible for this must be held accountable,” Tinesha stressed.
Authorities are investigating the incident, and the family is hopeful that those responsible will be brought to justice.
(LaWanda McAllister)