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But then the owner of the house gave him a two weeks’ notice to leave. He could not afford to rent anywhere, and on Wednesday, the owner, accompanied by the Police, removed them from the house.

“I live in a 10×10, a chair and a bed and couple boxes with some clothes for seven years and the place was leaking; anyway the people sell the place and they throw me out,” Harriram said.

He was forced to leave on Wednesday.

“I didn’t argue because I frighten the man might throw out everything. I put my daughter on a chair in the yard and start fetching out my things,” the elderly man said.

Now homeless, the 70-year-old pensioner was also detained by the Police but was released a few hours later. During this time, his daughter was left on the roadside sitting.

Residents living in the community assisted the family of two with getting a place to sleep. Another resident donated a bedframe so they wouldn’t have to sleep on the ground. The temporary home is a section of a house that was used for storage. It is covered in mold.

Harriram said he never sought assistance until now because he didn’t know where to go.

“She [Sahodra] can’t do anything for herself at all. I have to bathe her, feed her, she can’t eat on her own.

‘I ain’t got nowhere and she mother passed away and from then, my mother looking after her and then she passed away about five years now and since then, I minding her by myself,” Harriram said.

Harriram gets his monthly pension in addition to the $14,000 monthly stipend from the government for his daughter. And this is the money he uses to help maintain them.

A resident, Bibi Rajak vouched that Harriram is a good person but that his situation is unfortunate. She said residents try to help him when they can.

“He can stay here [in the storage area] until we could get help for him to get her into an institution and Larry doesn’t have anywhere to stay.”

Persons who wish to assist Harriram can contact Rajak on telephone number 615-6802.

He told members of the media that he has personally seen the politicization of this national tragedy in veiled forms and other times, in a flagrant manner.

“The first statement from the Leader of the Opposition [Aubrey Norton] was measured and I applaud him or that… And before I knew it, he was on television in Trinidad and Tobago politicizing the issue.

“Today, he has cancelled his press conference to go to Mahdia and attempt once again to politicize the issue,” Jagdeo said.

He noted that Norton was in the township on Wednesday during a national flower-laying ceremony and chose not to attend. He said there may not have been a formal invitation to Norton but that should not have kept him away since other people did not receive same.

“If [you’re] really concerned then just show up. I don’t think formal invites were sent,” Jagdeo said.

He also called out other members of the political and parliamentary opposition who he said have made vile statements following the tragic incident.

“We will overcome this and there will be all the answers in the future,” he said in response to collective haste to hold people accountable.

“Once again, I express heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the fire at Mahdia.

“This devastating loss has taken away the joy from so many families and I want them to know that they can count on our unconditional support now and in the future.

“It is going to be a long period before we can overcome this,” the Vice President said.

“Last December, we introduced this variety through funding from a grant from the IDB and the EU with the help of CARDI. We received 2,000 seed nuts and I had indicated that we’d be looking at importing some more of this high-yielding variety this year. In our budget this year, $12 million was allocated to procure additional planting materials. With the previous batch we received, we were able to help 24 farmers and increase the coconut varieties around the country. We’ll continue those efforts and engage between 275 to 300 farmers who’ll benefit from seedlings so that we can further develop the industry and increase our export. When we look at the agriculture sector, coconut is the third highest revenue earner,” he explained.

Apart from acquiring additional planting materials, the minister also disclosed that the government has engaged specialists from India who are expected to come to Guyana to assist with further developing the industry.

“I recently traveled to India and engaged specialists who will be coming to Guyana soon to help us develop the industry. When I became Minister of Agriculture, I said we’d put a lot of emphasis on the coconut industry. I’d projected that we’d be able to increase coconut production by 1,000 acres annually. However, I’m pleased that, to date, in less than three years we’ve seen that coconut production has increased by over 5,000 acres which demonstrates a tremendous improvement,” he noted.

Minister Mustapha said with the support the government is giving the industry, it is expected that coconut production will exceed 10,000 acres.

Coconut shredder  

HICL also recently procured the first of eight coconut shredders that will be used to shred waste materials such as coconut husk into coconut fiber that will be used for mulching and other agriculture-related purposes.

While speaking on the new equipment which was procured for approximately $3.8 million, Minister Mustapha noted that the coconut waste material has a value-added component that will now be utilized in coconut cultivation and other areas within the agriculture sector with the acquisition of the shredder.

“We are now starting value-added in the coconut sector. We have procured one of eight shredding machines so that we can use the husk. Usually, the shells are thrown away but there is a demand for it so we are going to be utilizing it. This will be replicated across the country, in places like the Pomeroon where there is a large coconut cultivation,” the minister said.

Saying prayers in both the Patamona Indigenous language and English, villagers prayed the young girl was finally at peace. But those prayers were punctuated by heavy sobs and wails. It was clear that the young girl’s death was a tragedy no one had come to grips with.

Eventually, the body was taken to the community burial ground.

At the burial site, it was the first time many people were able to see the young girl since she passed away. They were joined by government ministers Priya Manickchand and Juan Edghill.

At the burial site, no amount of condolences, prayers or assurances of support could ease the pain of Sabrina’s family. They were just inconsolable.

Her eldest brother, a soldier, appeared at a loss for words. He attempted to remain stoic as his mother, Elizabeth Johnson clinged to him for support.

His younger brothers, who are also older than Sabrina, were a stark contrast.

“Why Sabrina leff we and gone? Why it had to be Sabrina?” one of the younger brothers screamed out continuously.

He eventually fell to the ground, unable to bear the sight of Sabrina’s coffin being lowered into the ground.

Only the headteacher of the local primary school, Lynette Yarde could speak- though briefly, amid tears- about Sabrina.

“Sabrina was not a bad child,” Ms. Yarde declared.

She added, “She was kind and loving, she never gave any trouble.”

Sabrina and 18 others, including one five-year-old boy, perished in the horrific fire.

Her three cousins, Bibi Rita Fiona Jeffery, Loreen Evans and Belnisa Evans, also died. They were, however, trapped inside the dormitory and their bodies are among those in need of DNA testing to positively identify them.

These girls all stayed at the dormitory so that they could attend the Mahdia Secondary School.

Since there is no secondary school in Karisparu- like many other small communities scattered across the forested, mountainous region- some students desirous of pursuing higher education would attend the Mahdia Secondary School.

Because of the distance between the communities and the school, and the difficult terrain, students would stay in the dorms.