…mother collapses after hearing news

By Navendra Seoraj

A FIRE that completely destroyed the top flat of the Children’s Drop-in Centre on Hadfield Street, Georgetown on Thursday evening has claimed the lives of two brothers: 6-year-old Joshua George and 2-year-old Antonio George.The Centre is administered by the Child Care and Protection Agency, and according to reports, the building began to burn at approximately 23:45 hrs. when the fire, suspected to be electrical in nature, reportedly started on an electrical post.

An eyewitness said the children housed there began to scream, and police quickly cordoned off the area whilst a hospital ambulance rushed to the scene. The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) arrived on scene some 10 to 15 minutes later, but by then it was too late.

While most of the children managed to escape — including three other siblings of the George brothers — and stood on the street looking on as the fire engulfed the building, the two boys remained trapped in the building.

According to reports, their mother, Sonia, collapsed upon learning that the boys had perished in the fire. She had to be rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The Guyana Chronicle understands that the Ministry of Social Protection had, two days ago, taken Joshua, Antonio and three other siblings away from their mother’s residence at Norton and Chapel Streets, Georgetown and had placed them in the Centre.

The Ministry had reportedly decided to take action following reports that the children were physically abused by their step-father and that the 6-year-old had recently run away from home.

Relatives and neighbours told this newspaper that the 37-year-old mother “tried with her children,” to ensure that they were taken care of.
Though they might not have led a luxurious life, relatives said, the mother worked hard and tried her best to make ends meet.

“On Tuesday night, I was sitting on my stairs when a vehicle pull up in front of their house…I see Sonia come out and talk to the people them, but I thought was people that come to buy the land. Is later that night Sonia come over and told me how ‘welfare’ came and took away them children,” said a resident.

According to residents, earlier that day a report was made to the welfare department that the 6-year-old had disappeared from the house for two days and was eventually found at the Square of the Revolution. This was confirmed by an official of the Social Protection Ministry, Walter Robertson, at a press conference on Friday, where it was noted that, after receiving reports, officers began their search and found the child. He said that the Government agreed to assist the mother in developing a better life, hence the children were being kept temporarily at the Centre.

Meanwhile, neighbours said this was not the first time the child had disappeared from home. They noted that: “He father does abuse the children steady…only the other day he beat one of them and swell up their eyes.” This allegation was also made by other neighbouring residents, who highlighted that they constantly hear rumbling and arguments emanating from the home.

“We tried telling Sonia to go and lodge a complaint, but she was afraid for unknown reasons,” they said.

Residents noted that the mother worked as a domestic aid in the area and used the little she earned to send her children to school and maintain the house.

“She used to do a lot to sustain her family, and the fact that welfare took them from her saddened her and made her turn to almost everyone (she) knew (in order) to get help to get her children back,” bemoaned one relative.

Neighbours remembered the children as being jovial and pleasant most of the time, despite the unfortunate conditions under which they were living.

PRESIDENT GRANGER SADDENED
President David Granger, in a statement, expressed his sadness after learning of the tragic fire. According to the release, the President mourns the loss of the children’s lives because, he said, they will never have the opportunity to rise above their circumstances.
The President also has in his thoughts the other children who depended on the Centre, which is administered under the Child Care and Protection Agency, for shelter and support, and who are doubtless traumatised by the horrific experience. As such, he has committed to working with the Ministry of Social Protection to ensure that counselling services are provided to the 28 children who are now housed at the Sophia Care Centre.