Dear Editor,
IT IS with utmost disgust and grief that I write this letter, highlighting the poor state of the funeral parlour in Linden, Wismar and the way bereaved ones have to ‘endure’ and send off their loved one’s remains.Recently, I attended my grandfather’s funeral in Linden, and was most sickened, during my bereavement, at the state in which families’ corpses are being handled and preserved for a funeral. The body of my relative was stored at the mortuary of the Linden/Wismar Hospital. There is a fee charged. One would believe that the corpse would be stored properly for the keeping of the body for the ritual funeral service, then burial. Contrary to that belief, I sadly highlight that there is no proper storage at the Linden/Wismar Hospital mortuary.

My relative’s body, on the day of the funeral, was in a decomposed state. There was a putrid stench. Certain body parts had to be extremely covered from the public’s sight, because it was that much decomposed.

It was told to the wife of the deceased that she should have provided ice to store the body. How ridiculous can that be of a mortuary to make such a request. How much ice can one carry to store a body? Is the same ice we store in our home freezers suitable for that use?

This surely is not the first of such a case in Linden. I was told that it has become a norm for Lindeners, because this mortuary is the only operational, one apart from a newly refurbished one in Mackenzie, which is not functioning as yet, because they need generators.

This concern warrants immediate attention from the ministry-government and the Environmental Protection Agency; Industry, Infrastructure and Energy bodies. It is callous to treat human remains with such mindless carelessness. It is unhealthy to have to inhale such a stench (air pollution), and it is a total disgrace for the mortuary to be functioning with poor or no proper facility for storage and preservation of human remains.

I hope that, with this letter, the relevant authorities address this concern as soon as possible.
Regards,

MS. ESTHER REID (Deceased’s wife 647-7672) and
MS. R. SHIPLEY (Grand-daughter of deceased 688-2760)