THE Umana Yana which was gutted by fire on Tuesday afternoon is to be rebuilt soon, according to the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony.
However, a definitive date has not yet been decided, because members of the Wai Wai tribe who had constructed the original structure, will have to come and give an estimated cost before it could be included in the 2015 National Budget.
The minister said that the Wai Wais would have from time to time done repairs to the structure; he said that they are the experienced ones and that the trees that yield the branches used to construct the benab are not grown in Georgetown.
‘We will have to contact the Wai Wais through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs for them to come give us an estimated cost; they will also have to go into St. Cutberts Mission which is on the highway for them to get the special leafs,” the Minister said.
Just after the razing of the historic structure on Tuesday, the Minister told the media that funds for its re-construction will be included in next year’s 2015 National budget.

After the fire on that day, he said that that it is a devastating loss to the nation and it also happened during the month when Amerindians are celebrating.

He said that they will be working with the Guyana Fire Service to determine what caused the fire, since preliminary investigations are saying that it might be electrical.

The minister also thanked the Guyana Fire Service for its prompt response and added that he is happy that no one was injured, even though staff were in the compound.

Meanwhile, when this publication contacted the Divisional Officer for Operations of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) Mr. Compton Sparman, he said that the investigation into the fire is still in progress; but the preliminary investigation so far indicates that the cause may be electrical, since there had been problems from time to time with the electrical wiring.

The officer confirmed that the fire had started from the top of the benab before it had got to the stage and then ravaged the entire structure.

He said that the fire extinguisher was used by security personnel who were on duty in the compound; two security officers were reportedly injured and were taken to the GPHC for treatment.

(By Asif Hakim)