Fire Service declares Federation Building ‘derelict’

Oct 30, 2013 News

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– says all occupancy must be ceased forthwith

Days after Chief Justice Ian Chang ordered that Government be restrained from interfering with Attorney-at-Law Saphier Husain’s access to and use of the First Federation building on Croal Street and Manget Place, the Guyana Fire Service has issued a statement recommending that “all occupancy on these premises must be ceased forthwith”.

According to the Fire Service, based on correspondence received from the Chief Government Electrical Inspector in July last, highlighting the many fires and life-threatening conditions, an Inspection was conducted in September.
That inspection, it was noted, revealed “hazardous conditions on the premises that are an eminent threat to life and fire safety and even to the neighbouring properties.”
According to the Fire Service, the building is being utilized for offices for the purposes of plying their respective trades and professions in a haphazard and unsafe manner.
“This concrete and timber structure is in a state of disrepair and deteriorated to such a state that the timber materials have rotted and the concrete materials have lost their construction integrity and can no longer carry out their engineering and fire resisting purposes.”
It said too that the electrical wiring throughout the building was found loose and hanging, along with electrical points and outlets that were not properly insulated.
“Additionally, it was observed that numerous illegal and temporary electrical wiring with unsafe connections are used to provide electricity from a Portable Generator positioned near the main entrance…Further, there is no legal connection by the Service Provider (GPL).”
It was also pointed out that a large quantity of garbage, unwanted and unserviceable materials were found throughout the building on the various floors, corridors, within the ceiling and the vacant offices/rooms.
As such the Fire Service “deemed this structure as a Derelict Building.”

Having been attributed derelict status, the Fire Service has since recommended that stringent efforts must be made with Regulatory Authorities and owners of this building to have the building renovated and/or reconstructed to meet the minimum building construction standards and safety requirements.
Additionally, it was suggested that the building be dismantled immediately and its materials be disposed of in a safe manner.
Husain has since lashed out at Government saying that the statement by the Fire Service is but another ploy in the strategy to have the occupants evicted.
Asked about the inspection, Husain dismissed the findings as ludicrous. He said that on the day of the inspection, three persons from the Fire Service visited the property and spent no more than 15 minutes.
Husain further charged that the three men who purportedly inspected the building did not even leave the ground floor.
Asked about the description of the structural integrity stated by the Fire Service, Husain said that he is currently in contact with a building engineer from Toronto and he would be looking to have this independent professional come and inspect the property.
According to Husain, he would want this inspection to done in the presence of the local authorities, including persons from the Fire Service and other bodies.
The statement by the Fire Service was issued yesterday when this publication had outlined Husain’s ordeal.
In an affidavit in support of his motion before the Chief Justice Chang, Husain said when a previous attempt by Government had failed to get the occupants evicted, they “moved to vandalism tactics”. He claimed, too, that GPL was directed to disconnect electricity to the building.
According to Husain, an inspection was carried out by an independent electrician who found no defect, but Government directed that any Certificate of Inspection for offices located at First Federation Building be issued by the Government’s inspector.
Husain claims that the directive to disconnect power “was issued in a conspiracy with the Public Trustee/Attorney General/State Solicitor with the ulterior motive to forcefully eject me from Room 2, First Federation Building contrary to the rule of Law.”
Husain further claimed that “agents of the government removed the wooden door and grills to the entrance of the building and poured 15 gallons of waste engine oil which was strewn along the ground floor in September”.

Husain said that he replaced the door “which was removed a week later by agents of the Government and again waste oil was poured on the ground floor.”
He said, too, in his affidavit that later in the month, agents or servants of the defendants committed a carefully calculated destruction of the telephone wiring and lighting system which was used by him and powered by a generator.
He claimed that a 50-foot drop cord, bulbs and switches were also stolen.
When this publication visited the building yesterday, the ground floor was black with remnants of the waste oil still evident. The stolen generator was replaced and the one being used has been chained to the building.

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