Fire inside the ruling Peoples Progressive Party Civic’s (PPPC) office in Lethem Thursday night destroyed valuable radio communication equipment, a part official said Friday.

A computer, voltage converter and a table were also destroyed, according to PPPC organiser, Desmond Kissoon.

The discovery was made around 7:20 AM. There is no security guard at the premises,

An empty metal beverage can, whose top was cut off, was found at the scene and taken away by investigators. The party official suspected that the can with a flammable substance was thrown through an existing hole in a window. He said no explosion was heard by nearby residents.

Fire Service officials are due to fly into Lethem to conduct their own probe. No one has been arrested so far, according to Kissoon.

He estimates losses at GUY$700,000.

The PPPC local official said the equipment was not plugged in at the time of the fire and there was no evidence of a fire at the nearby electrical point.

Kissoon lamented the impact of the destruction of the radio communication system would have on residents in many of the 56 far flung Amerindian villages where there are no telephones.

“Every single day a dozen people come to communicate with relatives and families on various matters. Imagine what this means for people,” he said.

While the Lethem Hospital and Region 9 Administration are also equipped with radio communication sets, Kissoon said most people feel comfortable and enjoy the privacy of the PPPC Lethem office.