Mahdia tragedy: First funeral to be held Wednesday

The funeral for Sabrina John, one of the 19 victims who perished in the Mahdia Secondary school female dormitory fire, will be held on Wednesday, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced on Tuesday.

In a live update, President Ali said that John will be laid to rest in her home village of Karisparu, Region Eight.

“I continue to pray to that the mercy, love, patience of God be with all these families and be with us as a nation,” Dr Ali said.

A flower laying ceremony will also be held at the Mahdia hostel on Wednesday.

The ceremony, Dr Ali said, will be attended by diplomats stationed in Guyana.

Further, the President noted that the country’s Independence celebration which is slated to take place on Thursday night will now be converted into a night of prayer and remembrance for the children who perished in the fire.

19 persons perished in the fire which started at around 23:40hrs Sunday.

A Guyana Fire Service (GFS) investigation has concluded that the fire was maliciously set by a student, who was upset after her phone was taken away over objections by the school that she was engaging in matters dangerous to her well-being with an adult.

An estimated 56 children were housed in the dormitory.

The school housed girls from Mahdia, Campbelltown, Micobie, El Paso and several other villages in the North Pakaraimas in Region 8.