– compensation recommended for mother whose 2 sons died in fire
By Samuel Sukhnandan
A Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the fire that killed two young brothers at the Drop-in Centre at Hadfield Street, Georgetown, in 2016 has found that the conduct of staff on duty on the night of the tragic incident was not in conformity with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The Drop-in Centre following the devastating fire that claimed the lives of two brothers in July 2016
In fact, the CoI revealed that there was an absence of understanding and rehearsals of the SOPs for the handling of crisis situations. The probe also found that these procedures were not applied during the fire, which resulted in the ad hoc manner in which the children at the Centre were evacuated.
“The CoI found that this was a tragedy waiting to happen and that there was a collective responsibility for the tragic event, which claimed the lives of Joshua and Antonio George. The system to protect the children failed and, therefore, all the players are collectively responsible,” the CoI report stated.
The CoI, which was conducted by Guyana Defence Force (GDF) retired Colonel Windee Algernon found also that there was poor collaboration between the Centre and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), as some staff on duty did not possess the necessary qualification or experience.
More alarmingly, the probe also found that the Drop-in Centre did not comply with all fire regulations, as there were no operational fire escapes, no smoke alarms, no marked fire exits and signs on the wall stating what to do in cases of a fire. However, there were fire extinguishers and fire blankets. But despite having these on both floors of the building, no child or staff member was trained to use them.
Further, the report also touched on the blameworthiness of individual staffers who were on duty on the night of the incident. The CoI found that the Deputy Director of Policy and Development, who has overall responsibility for the administration of the three childcare facilities, should be held accountable for not ensuring adherence by the manager and supervisor to the SOPs governing protection from fire.
The manager for all centres was also blamed for failing to discharge her responsibilities in an efficient manner, which is to directly monitor staff performance, arrange staff training and ensuring that all buildings which house care centres are maintained and secured. And the House Services Supervisor was also blamed for not calling out additional staff on the night of the tragedy.
One of the mandates of the CoI was to look at the injuries sustained by the children who were killed in the fire. The CoI was able to determine that both brothers died as a result of smoke inhalation. Although the remaining 29 children and two staff did not suffer any physical injury, six children were left traumatised as a result of the tragedy and suffer constant flashbacks.
Based on all these clear failures, the CoI had recommended that the Centre hire more competent and qualified staff; put in place adequate supervisory and oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance; ensure regular fire inspections of the Centre; closely supervise the operations and staff at the Centre; conduct in-house training for staff in crisis management; and ensure the release of funds in a timely manner to meet the needs of the Centre and the callout additional staff whenever needed.
While the report acknowledged that the CCPA was a relatively young organization, having been established through an Act of Parliament in 2009, it was found that given the increasing demand on child care protection officials to deliver, this has resulted in the position no longer being attractive. It was also noted that low salaries and benefits attract a low level and quality of staff.
Red tape
Some of the more sound recommendations made by the CoI, however , concerned the need for the Social Protection Ministry to focus on overhauling child protection, cut red tape and improve the skills and knowledge of staff so that they could adequately protect children in the State’s care. It was also recommended that the Ministry arrange and conduct inspections at all similar facilities nationwide.
The CoI has also recommended the appointment of an Inspector of Homes – to be filled to ensure compliance while the Visiting Committee is reintroduced to also ensure compliance. It also recommended that emergency evacuation plans be developed and practised at all childcare facilities, to include safety protocols.
Another important recommendation from the CoI report is that childcare workers be given additional time away from the working environment to allow them to relax after a period of work or tension. It also recommended that suitably qualified people be recruited to meet the demands of the job.
The Ministry is also being urged to remove the Drop-in-Centre from the current location to a more suitable environment to cater to the development needs of the children. Consideration should also be given to a name change for the institution.
“The CCPA and the NGOs must put aside perceived personal grievances, stop seeking self-promotion, work together and focus on the objective of providing quality care, service and protection to children in the care of the State,” the CoI report added.
