President Dr. Irfaan Ali has given the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) probing the fatal fire at Mahdia Secondary School dormitory until the end of November to finish their final report and make their recommendations.
This is according to Attorney-at-Law Javed Shadick, the Secretary to the panel, during a press conference today.
It was disclosed earlier this month that the Commission’s Attorney, Keoma Griffith, is gathering testimony from 29 people, including the mother and father of the dorm, survivors, and government representatives.
As it stands, Shadick disclosed that while the Commission was able to obtain data for each of the Terms of Reference (ToR), it is currently reviewing the evidence to see whether further data is required. Right now, none is required, he told reporters.
“The CoI has started to prepare the report and has all intention of submitting the report within the timeframe given,” he said, reminding the Commission was established in August and was initially given two months to complete its probe.
Additionally, the Commission plans to return to Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro Siparuni) on Wednesday in order to see the hospital, fire station, dormitory site, headquarters of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), and alternate water sources.
The May 21, 2023 inferno killed 19 female students between the ages of 12 and 17 and a five-year-old boy, who was the son of the dorm parents.
Dead are: Tracil Thomas, Lisa Roberts, Delicia Edwards, Lorita Williams, Natalie Bellarmine, Arriana Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Subrina John, Martha Dandrade, Loreen Evans, Belnisa Evans, Mary Dandrade, Omerfia Edwin, Nickleen Robinson, Sherina Daniels, Eulander Carter, Andrea Roberts, Bibi Rita Jeffrey, five-year-old Adanye Jerome, and Sherana Daniels.
The dormitory housed 59 students. At the time of the fire, there were 56 females and the five-year-old boy inside. The remaining students had gone home for the weekend. The dormitory’s 26 windows were heavily grilled, and the five doors were locked with keys when the fire started.
A 15-year-old student at the Mahdia Secondary School has since been slapped with 20 murder charges after Police investigations found that she had allegedly started the blaze after her cellular phone had been taken away by the dorm’s mother and a teacher.
She is being kept on remand at a juvenile holding centre.
