A press release, issued by GCCI President Edward Boyer, also expressed the hope that all assistance by the Government would initiate an early rebuilding, following the recent blaze that wiped out most of that commercial centre.

The release said GCCI, like so many other organisations in this country, "seems to be spending an inordinate amount of time commiserating with the business community."

"This is definitely a sad state of affairs," it commented, noting that "the latest anguish" is with the people of New Amsterdam who experienced and are affected by the Pitt Street disaster.

The statement said: "The Chamber is especially traumatised over the fact that criminal elements might have used this moment of tragedy to loot people's properties."

"Have we sunk so low as a society that each new atrocity that hits the press is the norm rather than exception?" GCCI asked.

A total of 19 business places and a few homes were destroyed, leaving some 150 persons jobless and losses estimated at billions of dollars.