CARICOM secretary general, Dr Carla Barnett, issued the following statement on the fatal fire in Mahdia, Guyana, where at least 20 children are believed to have died in a dormitory.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has received with great sorrow the shocking news of the fire at the high school in the Guyanese town of Mahdia, where a number of children died.
We mourn with the families, friends and communities who are impacted by this horrifying event.
On behalf of CARICOM, I extend sincere condolences to the Government and people of Guyana.
We pray a speedy recovery for those injured and otherwise impacted and offer the support of CARICOM Member States as the community returns to normalcy.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time of unimaginable loss.