The designation of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) to manage the Good Hope crematorium will not affect cremations by non-Hindus at the facility.
This is according to the Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Ministry Collin Croal, who told Stabroek News on Thursday that the organisation had always managed the operation of the site, under the direction of the Mon Repos Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).
Recently, in a notice in the print media, the GHDS announced new procedures to be followed regarding cremations at the site, effective from June 1. The notice also said that only the GHDS is authorised to collect funds for cremations at the facility.
Some observers have said that a public invitation should have been issued for expressions of interest for the management of the cremation site instead of the selection of the GHDS. Croal stated on Thursday that the GHDS had always played an integral role in the management of the facility. This newspaper understands that there were financial disagreements between the organisation and the NDC in the past over the site. But an NDC official told Stabroek News last week that the move “is basically a switch in the arrangements, because previously you use to come to us and make payments and then take your documents to the Dharmic Sabha, who use to be responsible for the cremation itself.”
Under the organisation’s management of the site, it will receive the $4,000 payment for the cremation, once permission is granted by the Health Ministry for the deceased to be cremated.
The official said there were broad-based consultations over the past several months regarding the issue and he noted that concerns did arise over the possibility that non-Hindus would feel discriminated against. He said it was discussed extensively among the stakeholders before the GHDS approached the government for permission to manage the site.
“I could recall—and this crematorium burns almost every day—a lady came here and said that her relative had to be cremated and she ask if is only the dead from a certain religious group is cremated here. So, we informed that it’s open to the public,” the official said, while noting that the newspaper notice placed by the GHDS did not include that important piece of information.
“Cremations are done by everyone in terms of religious faith and the Dharmic Sabha is just the agency that requested to carry out enhancement to the site there,” the NDC official stated.
As regards accountability for the money paid for the cremations, the NDC official stated that the monies are logged and an official receipt is made out to the customer. He also said that the Health Ministry has been mandated to safeguard the financial records for Good Hope. “The Ministry of Health is keeping a paper trail to ensure that everything is kept in order,” he explained.
Businessman Bert Sukhai is a member of the GHDS committee which is currently implementing plans to develop the site and he recently told Stabroek News that the GHDS is the main driving force behind the development of the facility.
He explained that several years ago, a broad-based committee was formed, which included members of the GHDS as well as officials of the Lusignan NDC and the improvement of the surroundings at the crematorium was within its mandate.
He added that the plans were put on paper, but because of a lack of cooperation, the plans stalled and the GHDS subsequently approached the Local Government Ministry and made a request to improve the operations at the crematorium. The organisation was granted approval to carry out its plans and Sukhai said the body is working to ensure that the site is enhanced.
Among the short term plans is the raising of the land while in the long run, the GHDS will build a pavilion to the tune of some $15 million.
