Major General (retired) Joe Singh has been identified to lead the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the tragic fire that occurred at the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory that left 20 dead.
President Irfaan Ali has indicated that he will be meeting with the team this week to finalise the COI.
The President is also expected to meet with the families of the victims soon.
“We’re finalising it now. I have a meeting with the team and I have identified Major General Joe Singh to lead that team,” the Guyanese Head of State told media operatives on Tuesday.
Initially, 18 female students from the dorm and a five-year-old boy perished in the May 21 blaze however, one of the injured victims, 13-year-old Sherana Daniels, subsequently succumbed to her injuries, taking the death toll to 20.
The other girls who perished in the fire are: Subrina John, Belnisa Evans, Loreen Evans, Bibi Rita Fiona Jeffrey, Lisa Roberts, Tracil Thomas, Delecia Edwards, Lorita Williams, Natalie Bellarmine, Arianna Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Martha Dandrade, Mary Dandrade, Omerfia Edwin, Nickleen Robinson, Sherlyn Bellarmine, Eulander Carter and Andrea Roberts.
Adanye Jerome, the five-year-old son of the dorm mother, is also among those who passed.
The dorm fire was allegedly set by a 15-year-old student. The teen suspect has since been charged and is being held at a juvenile holding centre until July 4, when the matters will be called for disclosure of statements.
The dorm had housed about 59 students from the communities of Karisparu, El Paso, Micobie and Chenapau.
