Govt lends support to WCB fire victims

Through the Social Protection Ministry and the administration of Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), Government has provided support to the West Coast Berbice family of thirteen who lost their home to fire on August 1.
Social Protection Minister Amna Ally on Friday handed over mattresses, stoves, pots and pans, clothing, furniture, food items and other household necessities to the family.
During her stop at Kingelley, Minister Ally extended sympathy to the victims on behalf of the Social Protection Ministry and on behalf of President David Granger. The minister also handed over the sum of $500,000 to a local lumber dealer to enable the victims to purchase building construction materials. She assured the victims that they could expect continued assistance to rebuild their home in the form of sand, stone, cement and hollow blocks.
The Regional Administration of Region 5 also assisted with a number of construction materials. Regional Executive Officer Ovid Morrison disclosed that the building materials donated would help the victims substantially in their efforts to build another home.
Owner of the ravaged building, Shellon Long, has said the efforts of the Social Protection Ministry and the Region Five Administration to stand with her and her family at this time have been a source of considerable relief. She said life for herself, husband and their children are returning to some normalcy.
Reports are that tragedy struck Long’s family at just before midday on August 1: while most persons were enjoying their planned Emancipation Day programmes, her house was discovered to be on fire; and within minutes, the building was reduced to rubble. Eleven children, aged 17, 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 3 and a 1-year-old baby, are among those homeless.
When this newspaper arrived on the scene, Maxwell McDonald, who shared the home with his reputed wife Shellon Long, detailed that none of the children told him what had caused the fire, but he noted that they were all confused.
According to McDonald, as he returned home from work on Wednesday, he observed the thick smoke in the air. He said one of his work colleagues told him that it was his house on fire, and he quickly dismounted from the truck and ran home.
McDonald said he was only told by the children that the fire had started in the back bedroom.
Meanwhile, Officer in Charge of Operations at the Guyana Fire Service in Berbice, Divisional Fire Officer Clive McDonald, said the fire call was received at about 11:05h on Wednesday, and the GFS responded promptly. By the time they arrived on scene, the building was already flattened. Fire Officer McDonald told this publication that the fire was caused by children who were left unsupervised and were playing with matches.