Park Hotel debris for testing overseas
The police have agreed to take the debris from the May 6, fire which engulfed the Park Hotel for testing overseas before the end of the week. The results of the tests are expected to be known almost immediately and would bring closure one way or the other to the outstanding 55% of the Kissoon family's insurance claim. Stabroek News has been made to understand that the co-insurers would not have insisted on having the debris tested, if they did not have statements to support their belief that all might not have been well with the fire which left one damaged wing of the hotel standing. Suspicion was no grounds for denying an insurance claim, this newspaper was told and the insurance companies would not be holding out for the debris to be tested if that was all they had to go on. Because the walls of the hotel were broached, any traces of accelerant found in the debris could not be linked to the key holder of the hotel. A local fire inspector had not ruled out arson in the fire which saw the New Thriving restaurant destroyed as well as most of the hotel. However, because the Kissoon family, the owners of the Hotel had shortly before entered into an agreement with the owners of New Thriving to manage the hotel and because of no statement to implicate anyone, the fire department had ruled the fire to be of unknown origin. The police had also said that their investigation had found no evidence of criminality. However, the police did not test the debris and the co-insurers have insisted that this be done before they decide on meeting their obligation. Lead-insurer, GTM Life and Fire, which had a 25% obligation in the claim, paid off the settlement at the sum of $380 million and so did Caribbean Home Insurers Company (10%) and the Demerara Mutual Fire and Life Insurance Company (10%). Those who have so far refused to pay their share of the claim are Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO), the North American Fire Insurance Company (NAFICO), the Hand-in-Hand Mutual Life and Fire Insurance Company and the Guyana Cooperative Insurance Service.  Follow the goings-on in Guyana
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