THE United States military Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) based in Miami, Florida, is to help the local team investigating last week’s arson at the Health Ministry complex on Brickdam, Georgetown, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon said yesterday.

He told reporters police investigations into the firebombing of the ministry have not been completed and the government, through the auspices of SOUTHCOM, has been offered US help in the probe.

SOUTHCOM is a joint command comprised of more than 1,200 military and civilian personnel representing the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and several other federal agencies.

The offer of overseas help in the probe was announced earlier this week by President Bharrat Jagdeo in an interview with NCN radio and TV and Luncheon said no time limit has been set for the completion of the probe.

“Our tendency has been not to force the investigative bodies into a rigid timeframe…I have always insisted you have to give the investigative organs the time, the resources, to get the job well done”, Luncheon said.

He said investigators will take some time to put together the pieces to assess and pronounce on the data uncovered at the level of the crime scene and other leads.

The US offer of help with skills will further the firebombing probe, the Head of the Presidential Secretariat said.

Cabinet at its sitting this week was fully briefed on the arson, the impact of the losses and contingency arrangements and measures being put in place, he said.

Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and his Cabinet colleagues “were unequivocal about the fact of arson”, Luncheon added.

He said too that the report of a man beaten by a group of men for his alleged involvement in the arson was addressed at “an important meeting and we were assured that a report would be provided as to the details of the allegations and findings.”

A top level source told the Guyana Chronicle that investigators are tracking some suspects in the firebombing.

He said security guards on duty in the compound when the blaze started before dawn Friday have not been able to provide leads on those responsible for starting the fire with `channa bombs’ (Molotov cocktails), but police have some information on which they are proceeding with the probe.

The firebombing triggered heightened security at all government facilities and other places, President Jagdeo said at a press conference Friday when he also announced a $25M reward for information leading to those responsible for the arson.

He said several incendiary devices were located in the compound and while investigations continue, “it seems as though this was a deliberate act”.

Asked if the firebombing may be part of a bigger plot the President said “We can’t take chances – so no stone is being left unturned”.

Mr. Jagdeo said he could not comment on culpability at this point in time because the investigations are ongoing.

“But trust me — no angle is left out from the investigations…I have had extensive meetings with the security forces and we are going to get to the bottom of this and we are going to get the people who did this”, he declared.

“…it is really a sick act on the part of depraved people who will target a public building that provides support for the whole country, particularly in the area of people’s wellbeing and in health care”, the President noted.

Ramsammy said the fire started on the upper floor of the main building in the complex.

The complex that was gutted by the blaze that started around 3am, housed the offices of Ramsammy and senior ministry officers and four other annexes.

Three other buildings in the compound were slightly damaged, including one in the southeastern corner of the compound in which an incendiary device was found.

An eyewitness said the flames there were put out by firefighters who were alerted to the blaze while fighting the fire in the main complex and the room where the device was placed among documents was slightly scorched.