Prime Minister Phillips leading ministerial team to Mahdia following fire at dormitory

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, on Monday arrived in Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), to visit students and families affected and distressed following the fire at the dormitory.

Late Sunday night into early Monday morning, a fire in the girls’ dormitory of the Mahdia Secondary School claimed the lives of some 20 children, leaving seven critically injured and numerous others hospitalised and traumatised.

The outreach by the Prime Minister comes even as the joint services and private sector continue a medical evacuation, spearheaded by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

That initiative saw the deployment of multiple planes to Mahdia to support the regional health officials with additional medical supplies, and personnel, as well as transport persons from Mahdia to Georgetown.

That effort is still ongoing.

In an earlier statement, President Ali gave his commitment that those children in need of immediate medical attention will receive it, and all others who remain injured and traumatised will be provided with medical and psychological assistance.

Efforts are also being made to locate and contact the parents of the children to relay the unfortunate news.