Dear Editor,
Some may say that when one is dead the body no longer matters, so its final “resting place” shouldn’t. However, there is a reason why some people prepare for death by selecting their burial spot, cremation, where their ashes should be placed and sometimes many of the other procedures accompanying death and burial. It is innate for all who have lived fruitful and dignified lives to imagine that their deceased bodies will be treated with respect, especially by those who loved them and had a good relationship with them. Each citizen probably has such a relationship with someone in the upper bracket of the Government or City Council.
People may not want to think of being laid to rest in our Bourda, Le Repentir or any of the many other cemeteries throughout Guyana. Just thinking about it could cause some or many, premature death and cardiac arrest.
Dying may not be the gateway to heaven for some of us but our final place of repose could still be made a lovely garden, a decent and hallowed place that passersby could look upon and accept as their final “ resting place.” It would give all and sundry the feeling that those interred there were human beings and deserved the aesthetics. Let the authorities adorn these cemeteries with flowers and roses like a colourful garden with greenery. They must have ornate gates and manicured lawns. Sculpted angels with outstretched arms should greet those entering. The entrances and exits must be enclosed and only accessible during the day when a guard will be posted to allow access. Enhancement and orderliness of the compound and surroundings of a cemetery can impart an aura of serenity, acceptance and even that characteristic of respect that should always prevail as we journey through life.
People of all cultures throughout history have shown a lot of interest in death and its rituals. So, I urge the government in collaboration with the Mayor and City Council, to add to their list of vital tasks, the rehabilitation and upkeep of Guyana’s cemeteries. There are many areas of human development and preservation that should be the priority but we need to start looking like a city and country that has started to derive an income from the additional natural resource of oil. This is one of the major things that will attract and keep the human resources and increase our wealth exponentially.
Yours faithfully,
Conrad Barrow
