Speaker disallowed Motion on Mahdia dorm fire to shelter Govt. from taking responsibility - Mahipaul

Speaker disallowed Motion on Mahdia dorm fire to shelter Govt. from taking responsibility – Mahipaul

Aug 12, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul on Friday said Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir disallowed his Motion on the tragic dormitory fire at Mahdia to prevent Government from taking the fall for the horrific incident.

In an interview with Kaieteur News, Mahipaul explained that he submitted a Motion to Parliament since June 19, 2023 calling on government, to among other things, establish a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton.

He noted that since there was no response about its admissibility for the Order paper, he subsequently submitted another Motion on August 8, 2023- this time under Standing Order 12 – Matters of definite urgent public importance.

In that Motion, the Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) was seeking relief from the House to include specific terms in the scope of the inquiry for recently named Commissioners who have already been appointed by President Irfaan Ali.

Opposition MP, Ganesh Mahipaul (KN file photo)

These include an assessment of safety standards in the construction of the dorm, evaluation of oversight and accountability by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and other relevant Ministries, examination of emergency response, the identification of potential negligence and misconduct on the part of individuals or institutions responsible for the management, maintenance, or oversight of educational facilities and dormitories, and finally, for preventative measures to be instituted at dorms country-wide.

Mahipaul told Kaieteur News that the Motion was critical in the conduct of a thorough CoI, since he believes it was the administration’s lapse that led to the critical demise of the 20 children that night.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir (KN file photo)

During Wednesday’s Sitting of the National Assembly, the Speaker ruled, “The issue here is urgency. That tragic incident happened over two and a half months ago and it was signaled that a Commission of Inquiry would have been established to look at the particular tragedy. Two and a half months would have been sufficient time for any member of this National Assembly to bring a formal motion to the house, have it tabled and to be discussed.”

To this end, the MP pointed out that he is still awaiting word on his previous Motion, submitted since June 19, 2023.

As such he concluded that the Speaker had no intention allowing his Motion since this would show that the government is responsible for the deadly dorm fire.

Mahipaul explained that a report by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) in an assessment of the dorms across Guyana last year found that the structures were a fire hazard; hence he believes immediate measures should have been taken.

In addition, the MP pointed out that a report by the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) also confirmed the findings of UNICEF. “Unfortunately it led to a fire that cost the country 20 young lives and government is now trying to pat the families on their backs while running from the fact that they are responsible for this,” Mahipaul argued.

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Ganesh Mahipaul, Manzoor Nadir, Member of Parliament, National Assembly, United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF)

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