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Mahdia Dorms tragedy: CoI public hearing to commence next month
Kaieteur News – The Presidential Commission tasked with investigating the events surrounding the tragic fire at the Mahdia female dormitory which claimed the lives of 20 children, will commence public hearings in September.
On August 10, President Irfaan Ali appointed Major General (Ret’d) Joseph Singh, as Chairman of the Commission, while Attorney-at-Law, Joycelin Kim Kyte-Thomas and Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Derrick John are the other members of the Commission.
On Tuesday, during a press briefing Secretary of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), Javed Shaddick, assured that a fair and impartial investigation will be conducted into the death of the children.
Secretary of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), Javed Shaddick (DPI Photo)
The Commission is expected to conduct a familiarisation visit to Region Eight on Wednesday ahead of the start of hearings.
Shaddick said, “There will be a site visit to the Mahdia dorm, where the tragedy occurred, and there will be a visit to some of the connecting communities, but the visit is just to allow the commissioners to have an understanding of how travelling is done in those areas.”
Notably, the members of the CoI will visit the area, in order to get a general understanding of the layout of the land, and analyze the social and economic circumstances surrounding the fatal fire.
“Some of the persons we will have to be speaking with are children, and in circumstances such as these, we have to be very protective of their rights, and as we move forward, we will try our best to ensure that those rights are protected at all times. For the other aspects of the inquiry, we will be broadcasting it, as was done in the last one…” Shaddick said.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus along with the Commissioners (DPI Photo)
Fire destroyed the female dormitory of the Mahdia Secondary School on May 21, 2023. The fire, which reportedly started in the lavatory area of the building, claimed the lives of Adonijah Jerome, Tracil Thomas, Lisa Roberts, Delecia Edwards, Lorita Williams, Natalie Bellarmine, Arriana Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Subrina John, Martha D’Andrade, (and twin) Mary D’Andrade, Belnisa Evans, Loreen Evans, Omerfia Edwin, Nickleen Robinson, Eulanda Carter, Andrea Roberts, Rita Jeffrey and Sherana Daniels.
Notably, a 15-year-old girl is presently before the court facing 20 murder charges in relation to the fire.
President Ali had stated that the CoI represents a crucial step towards ‘understanding and healing’, deriving lessons to improve safety, and ensuring such a tragedy never recurs. He emphasised that the intention is to ensure a ‘balanced, impartial, and thorough examination of the fire and related issues.
- Attorney-at-Law, Derrick John, Joycelin Kim Kyte-Thomas, Major General (Ret’d) Joseph Singh, Presidential Commission
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