By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
UNIDENTIFIED victims of Hurricane Dorian will be placed in individual graves, with a key recovery agency in the country urging that “no one should exploit” this issue.
This, according to Disaster Reconstruction Authority Managing Director Katherine Forbes Smith yesterday as she insisted there would be no mass burial, adding every effort was being made to ensure relatives of the identified victims are aware of what is happening with the remains of loved ones. The burials will cost the government $247,000.
She said officials had received two estimated costs for burials and went with the most economical.
She said a team from the coroner’s office in New Providence was expected to travel to Abaco today and officials were in the process of identifying a date for a national service for those who died during Hurricane Dorian.
“The DRA has asked members of the Bahamas United Funeral Homes and Morticians Association and Bahamas Christian Council to take carriage of the organisation and planning of the burial in conjunction with the DRA,” Mrs Forbes-Smith said yesterday. “The group has been very strategic with its preparation.”
“On Tuesday the DRA’s technical team led by its chairman, Wendall Grant, a civil and structural engineer, will be on Abaco to determine the exact location for the burial on the site already determined,” she continued.
“During this process, the Christian Council and Morticians Association will meet with family members of people presumed deceased to discuss any special considerations and concerns they may be regarding the burial.
“The DRA will not exploit the memory of the deceased. We want to make sure family members are aware of what is happening.
“Discussions circulating of a mass burial is not true, it is false, and no one should exploit this issue. The remains of the unknown will be placed in individual graves.
“Out of respect for families we do not wish to say anything further on this matter.”
It is expected that in the coming days, a date this month will be announced for the national service for the victims.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
Note how neither Forbes-Smith nor The Tribune reporter (Khrisna Russell) thought it necessary we (the Bahamian public) know about the number of corpses to be buried at a total cost of at least $247,000 with no indication whether that total amount includes the cost of the grave site plots. Are these bodies to be buried on Crown Land?
rawbonrbahamian 4 years, 7 months ago
excellent questions. I ant to know also
birdiestrachan 4 years, 7 months ago
They should have cremated the bodies, even people who have money are cremated after all the body return to dust and the souls goes back to God.
if there were families who disagreed with cremation . perhaps they could be responsible for the cost.
This vision less FNM Government. .
Sickened 4 years, 7 months ago
Excellent points Birdie. This is a complete waste of our money. Nobody has claimed these bodies so they obviously are not too concerned whether or not they are buried or cremated.
TalRussell 4 years, 7 months ago
I sure hope we Colony's comrade Funeral Directors are doing right read on new coronavirus - sufficiently put them on edge know they needs do a deep spring clearing out their funeral homes fridges of all sandwiches and other eatable foodstuffs, including ice creams, and beverages. In meantime, do away further preparing food stuffs and cooking at funeral homes kitchens.
Spraggabenz 4 years, 7 months ago
If they're going in individual graves and we have a cost, how come we can't get an actual body count? Government is full of shut, and still lying to the people.
DWW 4 years, 7 months ago
it is a shame that death is all about the almight dollar. shame on every single funeral director creating this mess.
Sickened 4 years, 7 months ago
Once these people are put in the ground they will be forgotten and never visited. What a waste of time, money and land.
bogart 4 years, 7 months ago
Really sad after now half a year that these some 50 persons in mortuary from the Hurricane Dorian devastated the densely populated Marsh Harbour areas and these some 50 persons lost their lives.
These adults would have been working for others to earn a living....likely long hours very hard working ...some may have been somebody's housekeeper,...somebody's gardener,.....somebody's farm worker and doing other jobs speaking to employer.....good morning,...working along with others....someone calling them by name.....These deceased some 50 persons would have eaten in company of others...shared a plate of food....held some child in their arms...fixed some child's school uniform,......sat next to somebody in church.
Where are their employers, friends, relatives, ...anyone not coming forward ? More efforts needed to identify these souls.
sheeprunner12 4 years, 7 months ago
We need to memorialize this infamous hurricane ……. a tangible memorial to the unknown victims is an appropriate gesture, along with a gravesite of other named victims.
No need to politicize this matter any further.
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