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There have been several reactions to the Government’s announcement it has financially compensated the families/guardians of the 20 children who died in the female dormitory fire at Mahdia on 21st May 2023. Several persons were also injured. According to reports, the Government paid the family/guardian of each deceased child $5 million and $3 million to the family/guardian to each injured child. These pay-outs do not sit well with Members of Parliament (MPs) Roysdale Forde S.C and Amanza Walton-Desir, who both lambasted the government for the decision.
Senior Counsel Forde, in a scathing rebuke, said he expects the sum announced by the Government to the families who suffered in the Mahdia Dorm fire to be a token presentation of the compensatory package to come. According to the MP, “G$5 million (or US $25,000) for death, and G$3 million (or US$15, 000) for the lifetime of trauma and injuries the children and families must endure is no compensation.”
Forde said he categorically condemns the preemptive posture of the government and hopes it is not their intention to bypass a credible and independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the disaster that took 20 young lives, and any acceptable monetary compensation that must also form part of the Terms of Reference.
Parents must not accept the undervaluing of their children’s lives
“The miserly sum announced cannot compensate for the years those children lived, the potential value for the investment in those years, and the potential value of each life. Government must therefore make public what formula they used to price the grief, because it appears as though they just plucked a number from the sky.”
The MP asserted the sum offered reeks of government manipulation to circumvent the arms of justice from holding the government accountable for their failure to provide safe and secure dwelling for the nation’s children held in their protection. To this end he called on the parents not to accept the undervaluing of their children’s lives
“The parents of Mahdia must not accept this undervaluing of their children’s priceless life. Whilst no amount of money can meet the value for each single life, each family’s loss and trauma, at least some decent effort should be made to show that in this oil rich country, the fastest growing economy in the world, human life is not cheapened and has value.”
Questioning government’s information, the families voluntarily consented to such a compensation, and free government from any claim and action relating to the deaths and injuries from the fire, Forde said persons need to address their minds to whether families were coerced to sign without full understanding of the ramifications. Poking holes into the government’s effort to absolve itself from any future responsibly, the senior counsel said.
“I am inclined to believe the manner in which the Ali-government sought to sequester and isolate the families, immediately after the tragedy, was guided not by care nor compassion but sinister motive, now made clear by a document families signed absolving the government for any future potential claims for liability and injury. This must be rejected.”
An insult to the indigenous community
He classified the government’s action as an insult to our indigenous community and reinforces my belief the government does not care about our First People. Forde contended the government’s talk about the indigenous people is only talk because the rights of this group are being eroded every day by government. “They are continuously being insulted and exploited by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, as a political organisation and government. The miserly compensation only adds to the growing disrespect.”
Lambasting the government’s response to the tragedy and apparently recent allegation of an indigenous female minor by former minister Nigel Dharamlall, said Amerindian women and children are being mentally, physically, sexually, economically and socially abused by a political leadership that see others’ lives as cheap, more comfortable doing their dirty deeds and ignoring the safety and security of the people, after which they seek to buy their dignity rather than accept dignity is priceless, God given, and should be respected every day!”
Forde, who is shadow attorney general and minister of legal affairs, said “Our First People must tell the Irfaan-Ali government they are not for sale.”
Government failed to handle matter to instill people’s confidence
Meanwhile, MP Amanza Walton-Desir appearing last evening on the Sherrod Duncan “In the Ring” show was also loud in condemnation of the compensation package,
The MP told Duncan, the payment of money precludes the family from acting against the government in future. She also lashed out at the government for not allowing the commission of inquiry (COI) to do its work and said the payment could hinder any recommendation the COI may make.
From the inception, she said, the government sought to insulate itself from responsibility by moving to this settlement before the COI sits, and more so given the report of UNICEF and Fire Service that highlighted poor safety of the dorm. They are culpable for the death of these promising lives, said the MP who is an attorney-at-law and shadow minister of foreign affairs.
Walton-Desir said it is unclear what formula the government came up with to determine payment and this must be made public. She expressed the concern the government has failed to handle the issue in a manner that could convince people the issue was fairly dealt with.
The MP also accused the government of influencing the families to give up their right to pursue the matter and called on the people to demand answers and accountability.
