–President Ali announces, says unity will help Guyanese to heal

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that the government will be launching a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to investigate the causes and circumstances of the Mahdia fire which claimed the lives of 19 children.

“This will be done soonest. The findings of that inquiry will inform the way forward,” the President said during a passionate address at an event in Lethem, Region Nine, to commemorate Guyana’s 57th Independence Anniversary and pay homage to the lives lost.

The Head of State said: “We will never forget these children. They will remain in our hearts forever. But we will overcome this tragedy. Of this, I am confident and even more so because we are a resilient people.”

Dr Ali called on the nation to band together, and find comfort in unity.

“Guyanese are coming together in a wonderful show of love and compassion in uplifting those affected by the tragedy, I thank them for their efforts,” the President said.
Noting how critical it is that people to come together to support the victims, their families and communities, the President further said: “Together, we can heal the wounds inflicted upon our nation’s soul. Unity is an antidote for a crisis, it is the balm that will bring comfort and healing. The true character of our nation is to be found not in our grand achievements, but in a manner we respond when the chips are down. It is a time for crisis and tragedy that we reveal our strengths. Let us therefore stand together, supporting each other and particularly those affected by this tragedy.”

The President recommitted that his government is firmly dedicated to ensuring that it does everything that is possible to assist those affected.
The President called on the nation to never forget the children who have perished, letting them remain in our hearts forever.

“Banded together as a nation, we can overcome this latest devastation with the same resilience with which our forefathers pressed forward to ensure Guyana achieved independence in 1966.
“Our history is punctuated by the overcoming of tragedies. We will overcome this tragedy, of this I’m confident and even more so because we are a resilient people. We can find strength and assurance in the struggles and sacrifices of our ancestors. Guyana’s independence was gained through the struggles and sacrifices of our people,” the President said.

He added: “The country has known pain before; it has experienced tragedy before. In the pursuit of freedom, lives were lost, sacrifices were made and hardships [were] endured by our ancestors. Our ancestors paid a huge price for freedom. They too faced adversity, but they persisted in the quest to ensure a better life for their children and their grandchildren. Today, as we face a national tragedy, let us recall their struggles and sacrifices and how they faced adversity where they determined an unrelenting result.”