THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is again attempting to clean the Le Repentir Cemetery and has spent over $1.5M since such efforts resumed last week.

Over the last two years, the city council spent some $80M on restoration work in the cemetery, and another $50M on another occasion. The M&CC continues to be plagued by the problem of maintenance.

Work is now being done to remove the overgrowth of bushes and weed.

The cemetery has specific sections for various religious organisations, including for Muslims, Hindus, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Baha’is and Presbyterians.

“Traditionally, cemetery management only involves the allocation of land for burial, the digging and filling of graves, and the maintenance of the grounds and landscaping. However, Cemetery Restoration Programme (2016-2017) would include the regular cleaning and clearing of weeds, repairing the bridges and office of the sexton, repaving of the main roads, and implementation of a citizens’ programme which will allow citizens to work with the municipality to help preserve the cemetery,” M&CC Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis, had said.

Town Clerk Royston King said the Council is not only responsible for the removal of overgrowth and desilting of drains in the cemetery, but has a responsibility to ensure that it does not interfere with the ecology of the environment.

Under the Municipal and District Council Act 28:01, the Council has the responsibility for establishing, maintaining and controlling burial grounds and crematoriums.

In addition, the Office of the Sexton has burial registers which contain the names of persons buried, the dates of burials, and the locations of the places of burial within the cemetery. Burial registers often serve as an important resource for genealogy.
Le Repentir Cemetery was first established in March, 1861. Subsequently, a road was constructed through the cemetery to link La Penitence with Lodge, Wortmanville and Werk-en-Rust.

The first person interred at Le Repentir Cemetery was Antonio Gonzales, 45, on March 15, 1861. He was from Madeira.