PRESS STATEMENT ON DEATH OF GEORGE BROTHERS FOLLOWING THURSDAY’S FIRE AT THE DROP-IN CENTRE.
THE Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) , MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION wishes to extend its heart-felt sympathy to the George family following last evening’s fire which tragically claimed the lives of Antonio George, 2 and Joshua George, 6.
Antonio and Joshua and their other three siblings were taken into care Wednesday 6th at about 5:30 by the Child Protection Agency (CPA) pending investigation into alleged neglect and abuse. As is customary, the CPA took the CHILDREN tor medical attention on the 7th and the medical certificate issued confirms that they children are victims of neglect and maltreatment
The Ministry of Social Protection takes full responsibility for this incident and will bear the full cost of the funeral arrangements.
In the long term, the Childcare and Protection Agency will work with this family to ensure the other three siblings, and their ailing mother, receive all the support and help they need.
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) is still conducting investigation to determine the cause of the fire which destroyed the upper flat of the Hadfield Street Centre which housed 31 children.
The Drop In Centre was recently refurbished and a fire extinguisher installed, with advice form the Guyana Fire Service, the Centre also acquired fire blankets and a fire alarm system.
Under the Centre’s improvement plan, the laundry room was redone; a hot and cold shower system for the children was installed; a pressure pump was set up for use; the kitchen and laundry room were redone and the interior and exterior of the entire concrete and wooden structure were also repainted.
Ironically, the handing-over ceremony for the just-renovated boys’ dorm was scheduled for today. Ironically too, a family member of the deceased brothers was also scheduled to meet with CPA officials for the five children to be placed in family-based care with support from our foster-care programme.
The other 29 children from the Drop-in Centre are housed at the Sophia Care Centre and the Half Way Home, located in the Care Centre’s compound and are currently receiving therapy provided by specialists from the Georgetown Hospital.