CLEANING up and restoration of the Good Hope Cemetery and Crematorium, on the East Coast of Demerara, is a very high-priority assignment for the Mon Repos/La Reconnaissance Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), revealed Council Chairwoman Ms Anette Dass.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle in response to a letter published in last Friday’s issue of the newspaper (July 4, 2014, page 7), wherein a concerned citizen raised the issue about the deplorable state of the Good Hope cemetery, Dass said that council workers carried out a major cleanup of the entire facility a mere few months ago, although some parts of the cemetery had to be left unattended because of a major bee infestation and the workers not being adequately protected to confront the infestation.

Dass also attributed the condition of the cemetery to the inadequate workforce of the NDC. She said the NDC would usually benefit from help given by inmates of the Lusignan Prison, but due to recent complications and situations, the inmates have been unable to come out and work.

The Chairwoman disclosed that recently, the Ministry of Housing, through the Community Roads Improvement Programme (CRIP), launched a programme which has on its agenda addressing drainage and irrigation (D&I) of the Good Hope Cemetery and Crematorium and their surrounding areas.
She asserted that this programme is set to commence later this month.
Dass is asking that persons be patient. She has promised that the NDC would do everything to work along with CRIP on this programme to restore the cemetery to a better state.

The Good Hope Cemetery is one of the community’s main burial areas, and houses the largest crematorium on the East Coast.

(Savitri Laikram)