Grave shame
Lucea cemetery in woeful condition; McKenzie touts new programme to revive facilities islandwide
Published:Saturday | September 23, 2023 | 8:12 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
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WESTERN BUREAU: The public cemetery in the Hanover seaside capital of Lucea is in a sordid state as shrubs obscure many of the graves and overgrowth has turned into huge trees as a result of neglect. The terrible state of affairs, over which many...
WESTERN BUREAU:
The public cemetery in the Hanover seaside capital of Lucea is in a sordid state as shrubs obscure many of the graves and overgrowth has turned into huge trees as a result of neglect.
The terrible state of affairs, over which many Hanover residents have been complaining, was observed by Local Government and Rural Development Minister Desmond McKenzie during a visit on Thursday.
“It is a reflection of all the public cemeteries across the island, the lack of maintenance,” McKenzie responded when asked for his views on the state of affairs in the Lucea cemetery.
When McKenzie asked about the maintenance schedule for the cemetery, Lucea Division Councillor Easton Edwards said efforts had been under way to clear it recently, but weather conditions caused a cessation of the work and quick regrowth of the bushes.
COMPREHENSIVE MAPPING
He pointed out that a comprehensive mapping of public cemeteries across the island, with a view to having a greater input from his ministry towards assisting the municipal corporations in the cleaning and maintaining of those facilities, is now being worked on.
“We have already identified a source of funding that will be used once we have completed it,” the minister stated, noting that the mapping project has started in four parishes.
“I do not think the parish of Hanover is one [of the pilot parishes], but when we see what the costing is like, we could probably include Hanover,” he added.
McKenzie said there were nearly 100 public cemeteries across the island, each falling under the responsibility of the municipal corporation in the respective parish in which they are located.
“What we have been doing in the ministry is to give support in any way we can to the corporations,” he stated, adding that many municipal corporations can be commended for the condition their public cemeteries.
McKenzie pointed out that so far, work on three of four cemeteries that were chosen to be part of the pilot mapping project has been completed, but refused to reveal the location of those cemeteries until the fourth is completed.