By Travis Chase | HGPTV Newsroom
In a significant legal move, surviving family members of 11 students who tragically lost their lives in the devastating Mahdia Secondary School fire in 2023, have filed a landmark lawsuit against the Government of Guyana, seeking compensation totaling GY$16.5 billion.
The lawsuit, initiated by the grieving families, alleges negligence, emotional distress, and loss of life. The families argue that the state failed in its duty to adequately protect the students, highlighting what they describe as inadequate safety measures and emergency protocols that contributed directly to the tragedy.
The Mahdia blaze, considered one of Guyana’s most heartbreaking incidents, claimed the lives of 20 young students in May 2023, causing nationwide mourning and prompting urgent calls for accountability and improved safety standards across educational institutions.
Legal representatives of the victims’ families emphasized that this action is not just about financial compensation, but justice, accountability, and ensuring that such a tragedy never happens again.
The lawsuit, filed at the High Court, is expected to highlight critical lapses in safety infrastructure and emergency preparedness that reportedly exacerbated the disaster. It also demands that government entities implement immediate reforms to school safety protocols.
This case is closely followed nationwide as families and citizens continue to seek closure and reassurance of safety in educational facilities.
