President Irfaan Ali yesterday announced former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, retired Major General Joseph Singh, will head a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the tragic deaths of 20 children as a result of a May 21, 2023 fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory.
According to Ali, the government is finalising the Terms of Reference (TOR) and he will meet with the team before the end of the week.
The announcement comes as a surprise as wide cross sections of the society have been calling for the Inquiry that includes the input of stakeholders in formulation and development of the TOR. The Ali government has ignored the calls.
Meanwhile, shadow minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganesh Mahipaul, has filed a Motion in the National Assembly to have the site where the children lost their lives be dedicated as a historical memorial site.
