`Toka Experience’ package being developed
The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), in collaboration with Visit
Rupununi, with support from licensed tour operators - Wilderness Explorers, Trail Masters Adventure Tours and Touring
Guyana, recently experienced the official “Toka Experience” package currently under development by Toka Village, Region 9.
A release from the GTA said that this 3-day, 2-night adventure presents an immersive cultural journey featuring a day at Taiwu Falls, which includes swimming, hiking, and fishing. Participants will then delve into a pottery session, guided by locals, to grasp the craft’s rich history and master the art of pottery-making.
The release said that the experience continues with early morning anteater spotting in the vast Savannah, followed by a visit to a nearby ranch for activities including horseback riding and cow milking. Archery and cotton spinning demonstrations are also included. The package then leads visitors to the Toka Primary School for connections with both locals and pupils. and in relation to psychosocial s
“It is our hope that this rep inquiry will be an instrument to essary in ensuring there will be n of such a tragedy.
“We recommend and urge th memorial be erected on the site dormitory as an act of rememb reminder to us that there is n important than caring for and m children,” Singh said.
Meanwhile President Ali in said that the issues highlighted being addressed in a holistic ma
“Moving forward, based on t have already identified anoth which is the boys. There are a nu ommendations [brought by the Education] to deal with boys n school as a result of what took are looking at how we address t holistic way.”
The President was adamant dren in those respective commu have not experienced such a assured that the mistakes made unlearnt nor unresolved.
He stressed that children mus conducive learning environment
“This is sadly a tragic part of we have to mark this unfortunat us now, part of our country and mark it with a commitment to thing to prevent such a recurren behavioural change.”
As such, the Head of State urg ensure they show children “to order to stimulate the change ne
The Terms of Reference (TO on August 15, 2023, mandated sioners to: 1) Inquire and report and circumstances leading up to the Mahdia dorm fire on the n 20th, 2023. (2) Inquire into and the actions taken to provide swi ical attention and other forms o aid to families of the injured a victims. And 3) make recomme observations as may be deem includes measures and actions t mission may consider necessar recurrences of such tragedy.
In the days after the fire, it be that the Mahdia fire service had recommendations for the me grills on the dorm to be remov avail. It was also later disclosed commissioned by the Ministry to assess the dorms had fou safety measures were absent a Secondary School girls’ dorm.
hat a suitable of the female brance and a nothing more mentoring our
his remarks d are already anner. the report, we her challenge umber of rece Minister of not attending place and we this issue in a
that the chilunities should tragedy but will never go ged parents to ugh love” in eeded.
OR) published the commison the events and causes of night of May d report upon ift care, medf support and and deceased endations and med fit which that the comry to prevent
ecame known d twice made etal security ved, but to no d that a report of Education und that fire t the Mahdia . That report was available in May, 2022.
At the CoI session on November 9, Counsel Keoma Griffith castigated Chief Fire Officer (Ag) Gregory Wickham, and former Regional Education Officer (ReDO) for Region Eight, Annesta Douglas, for their lack of urgency towards the dire need for fire prevention supplies at the Mahdia Secondary School dorm as was recommended in a fire inspection report by Sub-Officer Ryan Scott of the Mahdia Fire Station.
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The MoE/UNICEF Report
Griffith also directed the commission to the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) report funded by UNICEF on the state of dormitories in Guyana where 24 dormitories were listed for immediate remediation.
He referenced that while the top five of the 24 dorms were dubbed as “major priorities,” the Mahdia school dorm was not ranked as a “major priority” in the wake of its known deficiencies.
According to the terms of reference of the MoE/UNICEF report, the standards for dormitories are as follows:
• Floor spacing per child/adult across all living quarters such as dining/sleeping/laundry and kitchen spaces, communal study area; sports facility; and living quarters for dormitory parents.
• Recommendations for the utilisation of green technologies; access to sustainable water resources and safe sanitation methods; and the usage of local materials and skills as well as photovoltaic power where possible.
• Human resources requirements for every aspect of dormitory life such as house parents; cooks; welfare officers/counsellors; and ancillary staff.
• Financial implications for meeting comprehensive standards across the dormitory plant.
The ministry’s report had been delivered a year before the fire and was not disclosed even in the aftermath of the fire until Stabroek News published its major findings.
Asked by Stabroek News when the report will be published, CoI Secretary Javed Shadick via WhatsApp told this newspaper “soon.”
The handing-over ceremony was held in the presence of government officials including Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand; Minister of Local Government, Sonia Parag, alongside her colleague Anand Persaud (who is a minister in the ministry); Attorney General & Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, other commissioners of the inquiry; Dr Kim Kyte-Thomas and Derrick John; Secretary Javed Shadick; and Counsel Keoma Griffith.
st operate in a t. our history… tely as part of d we have to doing everynce, including