TRINIDAD: Chaos at Covid-19 burial site

11th January 2022

By Trinidad Express

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TRINIDAD EXPRESS – What was supposed to be a simple exercise of digging a grave for the burial of a Covid-19 victim, turned into chaos and confusion, and a stand-off between the San Fernando City Corporation and the Contractors and General Workers Trade Union at Roodal Cemetery, Lady Hailes Avenue, San Fernando yesterday.

Speaking with the media, Ermine De Bique-Meade, President General of the union said a group of gravediggers attached to the Corporation were given instructions to dig a nine-foot grave, as opposed to the normal six-foot graves, as the person to be buried had died of the Covid-19 virus.

She said while in the process of digging they discovered a coffin when they were almost at six feet. Having removed the coffin, as the body was already decomposed, in order to continue digging, they came upon another body a bit lower down in a casket.

“This body was not totally decomposed and the reason for that is because this burial was embalmed, normally when a body is embalmed it talks a longer period for decomposition to take place.”

De Bique-Meade stated that the gravediggers would have contacted their supervisor but she did not give them a hearing so they called and later came down to the union’s office.

“I called the Health and Safety Officer within the San Fernando City Corporation and I explained to him what the gravediggers at the Roodal Cemetery had encountered. I ask him if he could pass on the message to the Public Health Inspectors, and if can they visit the site to see what is taking place. As I speak I did not get any return calls nor did they visit.”

She noted that the supervisor came down in a Corporation vehicle and instructed the workers that they must now abandon the completion of the first hole and dig another hole since the burial was carded for between 3.00 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.

The person who is to bury here today is a former worker of the San Fernando City Corporation, he was a driver in the Transport Department.

“What we are saying is that the management of the San Fernando City Corporation and especially the supervisor in the cemetery is uncaring. She never came and take a look at what the workers were experiencing, but came down here in a high-handed manner and informed the workers that the CEO (chief executive officer) say you’ll have to abandon this hole and dig another hole.”

Stating that the supervisor never informed the family of the deceased what was taking place and arrive at a solution that would be best for both parties, De Bique-Meade added that it was not the first time this would have happened.

“All they needed to do was communicate and arrange for a later date for the burial. They have not done that, they have just taken a high-handed position.”

She said at first the supervisor sent instructions via another worker but when the gravediggers said they cannot take instructions from another worker she came down and began to bully them, but when she realised the media was present shew drove off.

She added that the family came for the burial but it could not be carried out at the scheduled time, and it was left to the gravediggers to explain to the family members what had happened and the reason why they needed to dig nine feet down.

“The supervisor returned to the cemetery with a fresh set of workers and identified another spot, and they are presently now digging another hole for the burial to take place.”

She noted that the person to be buried is a former driver who was attached to the Transport Department of the San Fernando City Corporation.

De Bique-Meade said in addition to the treatment meted out to the gravediggers yesterday, they have also been left without water to clean themselves after performing their duties.

“There is a tank of water located at the cemetery which the workers use to take a bath or wash off themselves after they complete digging of the holes. But because of the highway construction that is taking place, that line was damaged, so it has no water coming to the building, leaving the workers without water to bathe or wash of themselves before they enter their vehicles or take public transportation to get home.

“The Corporation just don’t care about the workers, they want this done and they just have to get it done at any cost,” De Bique-Meade stated.

Attempts to get a response from Cemetery Keeper Kathy Ann Ishmael proved futile as calls to her mobile phone went unanswered.