More burials by Sunday - Slain Tivoli residents to be interred

Adams and McKenzie

THREE MORE of the 25 West Kingston residents killed in the civil unrest two weeks ago between the security forces and gunmen in that community, are to be buried by Sunday, says Tivoli Gardens councillor Desmond McKenzie.

One of the victims was buried in Manchester on Sunday, the same time when a mass funeral service was held for 13 persons at the Denham Town Community Centre in West Kingston. The 13 were buried at May Pen Cemetery in the constituency of Opposition and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Edward Seaga.

Mr. McKenzie said five other residents were buried last week and three others, including 78-year-old Daniel Spence, are to be buried on Sunday. Mr. Spence reportedly died after he was locked inside his house during the July 7 gunbattle, and was unable to get treatment for a medical condition.

Following the killings, the Government had offered to help several families bury the victims, but a number of them refused and were assisted by the JLP.

But Mr. McKenzie said up to yesterday, he was unable to say whether three other residents had been buried. "No one came to us (JLP) formally for assistance as relative, although their bodies were claimed by relatives," he said.

On the weekend of July 7, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Reneto Adams and a number of police officers battled gunmen in Tivoli Gardens in West Kingston. More than 20 persons, including a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier and a police corporal, lost their lives.

Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has since ordered a Commission of Enquiry into the incident. The terms of reference of the enquiry have since been publicised but the persons sitting on the commission are expected to be named today.

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