“This will not stop us, we will rise from the ashes in a bigger and better way”, says Minister Ramsammy

Minister Leslie Ramsammy, PS Hydar Ally andJunior Minister Bheri Ramsarran at the scene early yesterday

MINISTER of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy yesterday expressed shock and sadness at the destruction by fire of the building housing his Ministry at 1 Brickdam in the capital city.

But he said this will not stop the Ministry’s work, as it will rise from the ashes in a bigger and better way.

“At this moment, we are not going to let this tragedy stop us from doing our work. I look at this as a crisis for the Guyanese people, and not a crisis of the Ministry of Health…What I can promise the Guyanese people is that the Ministry of Health will rise from those ashes in a bigger and better way,” he affirmed.

Minister Ramsammy assured that no employee would be placed on the ‘bread line’ as a result of yesterday’s fire, and that by 8:00 hrs. on Monday morning, everyone dislocated by the fire would be reporting for work at some site.

He said too that the Ministry would do everything in its power to ensure that employees – particularly the junior staff, are paid their July salaries before the end of the month.

Fire, the origin of which is still being assessed by experts, shortly after 3:00 hrs yesterday broke out in the main building housing the Ministry’s headquarters, reducing billions of dollars worth of assets to a rubble.

Employees sadly view what is left of the Ministry of Health following yesterday’s fire

As word quickly spread around the capital city, employees and other concerned citizens quickly rushed to the scene, where within minutes the old, prized and well-kept wooden edifice, which housed Queen’s College in the 1950’s, had been transformed into a raging inferno.

It was an emotional scene, with Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, his Permanent Secretary Hydar Ally, and other employees weeping openly.

The fire, even amidst sporadic showers, raged uncontrollably, quickly spreading to sections which housed the offices of the senior Minister, Dr. Ramsammy, and his Junior Minister, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran; Administrative services; Central board of Health; Youth Friendly Health Services; Adolescent Health Services; pantry and board room on the middle floor; the Records and Human Resource Department and Central Accounting Unit and vault on the lower floor; and the top floor which housed the offices of the Chief Pharmacist; Director of Standards, Director of Chronic Diseases; General Nursing Council; Audit and Statistical Departments; and main conference room.

Buildings under threat from the fire included the neighouring Geology and Mines Commission to the west, and other ministry buildings the south of the burning offices.

As screaming fire tenders raced to the scene, firefighters hastily dismounted and proceeded to fight the angry flames as if their lives depended on it. Persons on the scene commended the firefighters who managed to skillfully avoid being struck by the huge greenheart beams tumbling dangerously from the burning building.

Meanwhile, the dousing of the building sent charcoal embers flying through the air, and cascading dangerously on motor cars parked as far away as the Geology and Mines and GT&T compounds in the west. Other vehicles parked in the Ministry’s compound were also damaged.

Long after the building was gutted and the destructive flames were brought under control, firemen remained on the scene, working at extinguishing pockets of smaller flames occasionally popping up.

With an innate will to overcome, both Ministers are working to relocating the affected staff, numbering close to 100. Emergency meetings were held at the offices of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) yesterday morning to address this concern.

Determined that the Ministry should not let the disaster weaken their resolve, other assurances given by Dr. Ramsammy were that the Ministry would work to ensure its employees, now dislocated, continue to work in comfort, and that the delivery of healthcare is not adversely affected, but will continue with the same efficient flow.

“Our home may have been burnt down, but the Ministry of Health stands tall and we will provide our service as if nothing is wrong,” Ramsammy assured. The Health Minister said that, in every sense, yesterday’s fire was a great tragedy for this country.

Meanwhile, Junior Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, equally prepared for the challenge, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle affirmed:

“When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. We are a tough bunch and will not give up.”

He said that at a just concluded meeting with Heads of Departments, ramifications of relocating were worked out; sites identified for relocating the dislodged workers include NAPS offices; ministry of Health’s facilities at Liliendaal, unaffected buildings at the back of the Brickdam compound; among others.

Dr. Ramsaran said that fortunately the building housing the Information Technology Department was not affected, so that with intact database, information can be retrieved to keep systems going.

He also gave the assurance that persons required to travel abroad for medical services such as surgeries and having their documents or financial assistance processed by the Ministry of Health would not be adversely affected. This is because the system provides for information to be sourced from the GPHC or other institutions which recommended their travel.

Other important services which continue to function without disruption include the immunisation programme housed in one of the saved buildings; Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Programme; and Maternal and Child Health Services.

Also, details of applications in response to advertisements for training programmes such as the nursing and the Dentex Certificate and Diploma Programmes can be accessed from the Information Technology Department which is intact.