Mahdia tragedy: Compensation for families to be sourced from supplementary funds

…Grades 9, 10, 11 girls to be housed at President’s College in new school term

The bulk of the money that will go towards providing support for the families of the victims from the Mahdia tragedy, were on Wednesday approved in the National Assembly as part of the $61 Billion supplementary estimates.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government had committed to provide financial support to the families of the Mahdia victims who died in the tragic fire in May. Accordingly, all the affected families have signed agreements with the government to receive this support- a total of 31 agreements.

Of the $61 Billion supplementary paper that was examined in the National Assembly, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh confirmed that a portion of the $350 Million being requested by the Ministry of Finance will go to the families of the victims.
“In connection with the amounts sought, let me say that under this particular line item, in this instance this additional amount being sought, is included a provision to meet the cost of the financial assistance that is being provided to the families of the girls who so tragically lost their lives in Mahdia. And to those who were injured in that tragedy,” Dr Singh said.

Housing arrangements
Meanwhile, Education Minister, Priya Manickchand provided some insight on housing arrangements for the survivors of the tragedy when school reopens, while responding to questions about the $2 Billion in supplementary funds being sought for her own Ministry.
“The male dorm is going to open as per usual. And the decision of the cabinet was to build a secondary school at Micobie, which will take care of the Micobie students who were in the dorms, as well as those who are now leaving grade six. And the girls in grades nine, 10 and 11 who were in the dorms, will come out and be housed at President’s College.”
“And they will all, even those who were in grade 11 because of the terrible, tragic disruption, everybody is going to start back at the curriculum beginning level, at grade 10, which is form four,” Manickchand explained.

In the early hours of May 22, a fire allegedly set by a 15-year-old student resulted in the deaths of 19 female students from the Mahdia school dorm and a five-year-old boy. The girls who perished in the fire are: Subrina John, Belnisa Evans, Loreen Evans, Bibi Rita Fiona Jeffrey, Lisa Roberts, Tracil Thomas, Delecia Edwards, Lorita Williams, Natalie Bellarmine, Arianna Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Martha Dandrade, Mary Dandrade, Omerfia Edwin, Nickleen Robinson, Sherlyn Bellarmine, Eulander Carter and Andrea Roberts. Adanye Jerome, the five-year-old son of the dorm mother, is also among those who passed.
The facility had housed about 59 students from the communities of Karisparu, El Paso, Micobie and Chenapau. Information from the Guyana Fire Service indicated that 14 youths died at the scene of the fire, while five died at Mahdia District Hospital.
Even as court proceedings continue against the alleged perpetrator, government had offered to compensate the families affected. That compensation would have ranged between $3 Million and $5 Million per household. (G3)