JUSTIN, Rayden, and Ayshia Abel were all laid to rest Wednesday following the viewing of their remains at Jerrick’s Funeral Home at Paradise, East Coast Demerara.The burial of the three children, the last of the six youngsters who perished in the recent Burma Road tragedy to be interred, followed an earlier viewing at their grandparents’ home at Burma, Mahaicony.

At the Funeral Home, there was the traditional singing of home-going songs, as persons cried uncontrollably at the sight of the three children, the eldest being just 10, as they each lay in their lily-white coffins.
The presence of the children at the parlour not only attracted viewers from the village of Mahaicony, but also passersby in public transportation and members of the Paradise community where the funeral parlour is located.
Following the viewing, the body of Ayshia Abel was placed in a hearse by itself, while the remains of the two little boys, Rayden and Justin Abel, were put in one hearse preparatory to the long journey back to Mahaicony for burial.
On Sunday, the remains of eight-year-old Martina Persaud was cremated at Mahaicony foreshore, while those of six-year-old Azidia Fraser and ten-year-old Atesha Woolford were laid to rest on Monday, all amidst very emotional farewells.
On Saturday coming, the body of the school teacher, 40-year-old Shondel Duke, will be laid to rest.
On February 20, the bodies of the seven persons were pulled from a watery grave where they were trapped in a car that was partly submerged in a canal.

The children and teacher who perished were all members of the Augsburg Primary School and had travelled along the Burma Road from their school that day to be part of a Mashramani celebration at the Novar Primary School, along with students from other schools in the area. On the journey back to their village tragedy struck.
Immediately after the news of the tragedy spread, Education Minister, Priya Manickchand and Transport Minister, Robeson Benn travelled to the community and met with residents and relatives at the hospital. The following day, President Donald Ramotar, Opposition Leader, David Granger and Ministers Manickchand and Benn visited the homes of the deceased and spoke with relatives.
The Government of Guyana has paid for all funeral expenses for the children and will be doing the same for the teacher. Autopsies confirmed that the seven accident victims died from drowning.

(By Leroy Smith)