Death THEN dishonour

WESTERN BUREAU:

In the lush landscapes of western Jamaica, a grim reality lurks beneath the surface – a tale of neglect and decay in the region’s public cemeteries. With 46 burial grounds spanning across Trelawny, St James, Hanover, and Westmoreland, the majority of these sacred sites find themselves in a state of disrepair, struggling against rampant overgrowth, littered with debris, and becoming havens for stray animals.

Despite a few exceptions where families maintain magnificent structures, the general condition of the public cemeteries is dire. Graves lay dirty, unrecognisable, and often damaged, with a lack of order or structure prevailing. Compounding the issue is the looming crisis of space scarcity, as some sites face the looming spectre of reaching full capacity.

With inadequate resources and disjointed planning, the municipal corporations struggle to maintain these vital communal spaces, the states of which dishonour the memory of the departed.

In St James, there are 13 public cemeteries, chief of which is the Pye River Cemetery on the outskirts of Montego Bay.

Dwight Crawford, the last-serving councillor now seeking re-election in whose Spring Garden division it is located, told The Sunday Gleaner that last year he initiated a public-private plan to rehabilitate the cemetery, which needed extensive de-bushing, painting and repair of graves.

“Many families have basically moved on after burying their relatives, despite the fact that the family plot belongs to them,” Crawford complained. “The Pye River Cemetery is in my division. I see it every day, so its upkeep is very important to me. I am trying my best, but what needs to be done requires substantial funding.”

Crawford is of the view that, like in other countries, cemeteries should be an attraction for visitors.

“I am open to any suggestion and help to give this cemetery an attractive look. It has the potential to even be an attraction, where people can visit. Montego Bay is a tourist city, and this cemetery could be made into one of its attractions, with the scope to generate an income,” he noted.

In addition to being weathered by time, the Pye River Cemetery, which was established in 1896, has been subject to pilfering over the years as persons who dabble in witchcraft rob graves at night for skulls to use in their practices. The practice was exposed some years ago as some of the older graves were falling apart to the point where exposed coffins and pieces of clothing littered the ground.

A ROSE AMONG THORNS

Like in St James, the public cemeteries in Trelawny, Hanover, and Westmoreland are crying out for attention, many badly in need of de-bushing.

Refreshingly, one public cemetery in Savanna-lar-Mar, Westmoreland, which is in proximity to the Sir Clifford Campbell Primary School, stands out as a notable exception.

“We can’t complain. This cemetery is being properly maintained,” said Maureen Forrester, who resides in proximity to the burial ground.

“That is where the children who live on my side of the cemetery walk to get to and from school every day. This is one thing that the parish council can take pride in. They are keeping this cemetery clean and presentable.”

However, in Falmouth, Trelawny, and Lucea, Hanover, the cemeteries are like mini jungles in some sections. Shrubs have grown into large trees and many of the graves, especially the older ones, are heavily draped in wisp and are barely visible, some damaged.

Last week, when The Sunday Gleaner visited the Falmouth Cemetery, one of the 12 public burial grounds in Trelawny, goats were seen grazing in the sections.

The situation was similar at the Clark’s Town Cemetery, in the interior of the parish, as cows were seen feasting on the heavy growth of grass between the graves.

“Very little maintenance takes place at this cemetery,” a man, who resides in proximity to the Falmouth Cemetery and uses it as a pathway to and from his home, told The Sunday Gleaner. “The little bushing that is done is mostly by persons who come to visit their relatives’ graves.”

Hanover, which has only five public cemeteries, is being faced with limited burial space, albeit that backyard burials are allowed in some deep rural districts. But despite the small number of public burial sites, maintenance is also a vexing issue.

Craig Oates, who was the compliance officer at the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) until recently, describes the situation as pathetic, and a poor reflection on the leadership of the municipality.

“The Sandy Bay Cemetery ran out of space almost 10 years ago, and with no new site in place, all the burden is now on the Hopewell Cemetery, which is running out of space,” Oates told The Sunday Gleaner.

“Most of the recent graves are ‘jam up’ together, seemingly in a way of preserving space.”

PLANS TO ADDRESS SITUATION

During a visit to Lucea last year, Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie called on the HMC to take immediate steps to address the unkempt state of the town’s cemetery, expressing disappointment in what he saw, albeit admitting that it was an islandwide problem.

“It is a reflection of all the public cemeteries across the island, the lack of maintenance,” McKenzie said, while noting that his ministry was doing a mapping of public cemeteries with a view to addressing the existing issues.

“We have identified a source of funding that will be used once we have completed it (the mapping).”

However, despite the challenges, Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels believes the challenges in his parish will be fully addressed.

“We have identified lands in the Sandy Bay area to expand that cemetery. We have done site visits, and we are well on the way to having that issue resolved,” Samuels told The Sunday Gleaner.

“We are also looking at lands in the Riverside division to expand that cemetery.”

As it relates to the Hopewell Cemetery, which the HMC is also seeking to expand through the acquisition of nearby lands, Samuels said that following a recent survey of the property, it was discovered that a plot of land that adjoins the cemetery in one direction, which is currently occupied by informal settlers, is owned by the HMC.

“So, the truth is, we have more than enough burial space in Hopewell, we just need to reclaim the lands that are now being illegally occupied,” said the mayor.

“I am very confident that some of the issues we are now facing will become non-issues before long.”

editorial@gleanerjm.com