While declaring that persons hired to clean the public cemetery in the Lluidas Vale Division of St Catherine should do their job or be replaced, Councillor Hugh Graham noted that the existing cemetery is virtually full to capacity.

He added that a parcel of land has been identified for a new cemetery to be created in the division, but was quick  to note that the said property is relatively small.

The property being considered is located behind the Lluidas Vale community centre where someone has been growing sugarcane.

“The cemetery [in Lluidas Vale] is almost full. There is a piece of land that belongs to the St Catherine Municipal Corporation – a small piece. We are trying to access it; there is a little bit of challenge in accessing it; some work needs to be done,” Graham told The Beacon.

He, at the same time, noted that the St Catherine Municipal Corporation is promoting the use of the recently opened Thetford Cemetery, which is located in Church Pen, St Catherine.

“Thetford is where the Municipal Corporation is promoting the use, because most of the cemeteries in St Catherine – certainly in North West St Catherine; they are full. Ewarton is full, Commodore [in Linstead] is probably almost full. Lluidas Vale you could say for all intents and purpose is full. They all are full,” added Graham, who also is the incoming People’s National Party election candidate in St Catherine North West.

He is set to square off with the Jamaica Labour Party’s Newton Amos, who, in an exclusive interview with The Beacon, listed the overgrown Lluidas Vale Cemetery among public facilities that – according to him – have deteriorated under the leadership of Graham.

This story continues below these photos captured in the Lluidas Vale Cemetery:

When The Beacon took an observation trip to the cemetery, we found several graves buried under shrubs, goats grazing, and one grave with a gaping hole through which one can look inside. Some graves that had similar holes due to weathering were finally being repaired.

ALSO READ: Graves finally being repaired after breaking open

Graham, in response, said persons are being paid for upkeep of the cemetery.

“The Municipal Corporation has two persons there (in Lluidas Vale) that should maintain the cemetery apart from the cemetery keeper. So technically there are three people there that are employed to the Corporation – two for maintenance and one that does the job of a cemetery keeper.

“If they are not doing the job that they are paid to do, the Corporation needs to ensure that they are doing the job or find persons who can do the job that you are paying for,” Graham further told The Beacon.

ALSO READ: Low burial fee blamed for nasty cemeteries

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