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The Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Police Force are investigating a fire that razed 19 boats at the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling, West Coast Demerara in the wee hours of Tuesday.

In a statement, the Guyana Fire Service confirmed that it received a call at 1:49hrs and was informed of a fire at the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling.

Water tender #111 and crew from the La Grange Fire Station, along with fire boat Protector #8 and crew, were immediately dispatched to the scene.

When firefighters arrived, they discovered several boats on fire.

Nineteen vessels were involved in the fire, and by the time it was extinguished, 13 of them were destroyed, while six were slightly damaged.

According to the police, inquiries revealed that the fire started from the rear end of a vessel that was docked on the southern side of the Vreed-en-Hoop stelling, which quickly erupted and spread to other nearby vessels on the southern side of the river, destroying those vessels.

Several persons were questioned, including a watchman for the vessel where the fire started. He was later placed into custody at the Vreed-En-Hoop Police Outpost and is assisting with the investigation.

The purported cause of the fire is undetermined at this time and requires further investigation by Fire Prevention officers.

GAWU Emancipation Daty message 2023:

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) once again takes this opportunity to salute our Afro-Guyanese brothers and sisters across the country and in the diaspora on the occasion of Emancipation Day.

This historic anniversary provides yet another opportune moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by our African ancestors who were brought to these shores in chains to provide free labour to the sugar planters.

Stripped of their humanity and dignity and forced to toil long hours, to say that our African ancestors suffered at the hands of the sugar planters would be a gross understatement. During that genocidal process, many were tortured and brutally killed for standing up for their rights. In the long march to freedom, many battles were fought, including the Berbice Slave rebellion led by our National Hero, Cuffy.

In the end, the resilient spirit of resistance, demonstrated by our African ancestors, prevailed and freedom was attained in August 1838. Freed and successful in forging a society, having purchased a number of villages, there were attempts by the sugar planters to sabotage the slaves’ newly won independence. However, their determination for success and peace resulted in their triumph.

Our African ancestors and their descendants have and continue to make invaluable contributions to the development of Guyana. The foundations of our society and economy were firmly laid by them through hard work and commitment to their homeland.

As our Union once again recognizes the tremendous sacrifices and the selfless contributions African ancestors made to our modern society, it wishes to reiterate the importance of the principle of racial equality, and a governance mechanism where each and every citizen regardless of race, colour or creed, be given an equal opportunity to contribute to advancement of our society.

 Once again, happy Emancipation greetings to all Guyanese, in particular our Afro-Guyanese brothers and sisters.