Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 18, 2022 News
Kaieteur News – Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn on Tuesday submitted a written response to Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Geeta Chandan-Edmond, where it was revealed that just over $104 million in equipment, exhibits and vehicles were destroyed in the fire at the Brickdam Police Station in October of last year.
During the 47th Sitting of Parliament, the Minister’s response was circulated which detailed that a total of 1,603 items were destroyed at the sum of $104,391,100.
The items listed included 36 body cameras which cost $2,520,000, 60 mattresses at a total cost of $2,100,000, 20 laptops totalling $5,000,000, six copy machines that cost $7,200,000, two heavy duty staple machines costing $200,000 and two digital recorders amounting to $2,400,000.
The Ministry said one minibus was destroyed by the fire that was valued at $4,500,000.
The fire reportedly began around 11:06hrs on October 2, last in the upper part of an eastern building and spread to several other buildings in the compound.
Following the destruction of the Divisional Headquarters, Chandan-Edmond, mere days later sent several questions to the Minister, seeking clarity on the outcome of the event.
A video recorded confession, released on October 6, last, proved that Clarence Greene, called “Molly”, had willingly admitted to setting the fire. He was reportedly placed in a cell located on the second floor of the lock-up which is situated extremely close to an office located on the upper flat of the eastern half of the Brickdam Police Station.
As it relates to how he was able to enter the cell with a lighter (which he reportedly used to set the fire), Greene said on camera that he was searched by an officer who had initially taken away the item from him. However, he had requested that the officer return the lighter because, “I does want to smoke one, one cigarette some time.”
“Getting frustrated that me alone in the cell, the guy wah give the statement, he went doing something outside and I see the wire and I tell he pass the wire fuh me deh.”
He revealed that he had lit the end of the sponge that was left in his cell and went to sleep. A short while later, the inmate who had passed him the wire to start the fire came knocking at his cell door alerting him about the fire.
Since then, seven companies have submitted bids to design an eight-storey building to replace the burnt structure. Bids were opened for the project on March 22, last. The Ministry has not yet invited bids for the construction of the new building.
In this year’s budget, the sum of $400M was allocated to the Ministry, which would go towards the construction of the new complex.
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