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Toots Hibberts' burial stalls as no permit provided

Published:Thursday | October 15, 2020 | 6:12 PM
Toots, 77, died at the University Hospital of the West Indies on September 11, nearly two weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19.

The burial of legendary reggae singer Toots Hibbert had to be abandoned today as the family could not produce an order authorising the interment.

Following a private service at the chapel of Perry’s Funeral Home in St Catherine, close family members travelled to the Dovecot Memorial Gardens for the interment when it was discovered that there was no burial permit.

"Nobody in the family had the burial order in their possession and without a signed burial order, the body cannot be placed in the grave," said one source who was at the cemetery.

Burial orders are obtained from the Registrar General's Department after a certificate of the cause of death signed by a doctor is presented.

The undertakers and the officiating minister Pastor Christine Flowers waited for several minutes as Toots' family searched for the burial order, but none could be provided.

At that point, the funeral director was forced to return the body of the Country Road singer to the morgue.

Toots, 77, died at the University Hospital of the West Indies on September 11, nearly two weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19. 

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