Dear Editor,
For some time now I was contemplating writing on this subject, that is, the proper way we need to adopt here in Guyana when taking care of our loved ones who have departed. It is a somewhat morbid subject that many shy away from, however, I am talking about the provision of a well-organised and proper resting place for the dead.
In the first place, cemeteries and burial grounds are fast becoming overcrowded, not because there is no room to bury the dead, but from a lack of an organised system to do so. This makes burial grounds the most underutilised places in our country. A case in point is The Le Repentir Cemetery which many claim to be filled with graves, but is this so? The answer is: far from it; there are very many places to bury the dead in Le Repentir, the only problem is, most of the spaces available there have been underutilised.
In this regard, I would advocate that the municipality maximise space, four bodies should be accommodated in a single burial space. This is not an unusual recommendation, since that is the burial requirement in sister CARICOM State St Lucia, in this country, there is the utilisation of six (6) persons per burial spot.
I propose four persons per one space, seeing Guyana’s water table is very close to the surface area, four persons per plot would have adequately taken care of this. Headstones bearing the names of those interred there should be erected. I think this plan would go a far way in easing the wanton waste of burial spaces.
Now, for those who would like a preferred arrangement outside of that which I’ve highlighted above, this is also acceptable. For those who would like a demarcated area for their families and close relatives, they should enter into a paid arrangement for a stipulated area, not exceeding a certain square foot.
And this burial plan goes for all NDC’s and Village Councils where proper utilisation of land space must be put in place for a repose of our departed loved ones.
I have shared this article with the Minister of Home Affairs which, if adapted to our situation here, would go a far way in maximising space, and the taking care of burials and cemeteries.
Yours sincerely,
Neil Adams
