WHERE WAS BHARRAT?

Nov 13, 2008 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

What happens to the remains of a man after he dies is a decision strictly for his family. No one should question that right.

The family of David de Caires decided that he should be cremated in Barbados. I know this decision may have disappointed quite a few persons who felt that David should have been brought home to be buried. However, I believe the family did the right thing and cremated him overseas.

I do not think that the soul of David would have been happy in Le Repentir Cemetery. That place is an eyesore and no longer fit for burials. David, surely a man of taste and a connoisseur of aesthetics, would not have found peace buried in that cemetery.

David is gone and the Peeper is not feeling too good. I do not know what will become of my mortal remains when I depart this world. I have left no instructions as to whether I should be buried or cremated.

I really have never given the subject the attention it deserves, perhaps because I am undecided as to whether I wish to end up on a burning pyre or buried six feet below the surface.

I will leave that decision to my family. But what I will insist is not to be entombed in any burial ground in the city.

I have no faith in those entrusted with managing the public burial grounds in the city and therefore if I am to be buried, it will have to be in the countryside so that I can roam free as a spirit, not a jumbie.

I went to the memorial service for David and could have sworn that I saw a few jumbies. There were persons whom I presumed were long dead who showed up to pay their last respects to David. There were others whom I was glad to see there.

One of those persons was sitting at the back of the church. His name is Frederick Kissoon. It was indeed a good thing that Uncle Freddie did paid his last respect to David de Caires.

He also wrote a lovely piece about David. In that column, Freddie showed a side that is often not public.
I think he knew that regardless of the differences he had with David here was someone who paid his dues to society and who did something for this country that was above the average.

A great many persons from both the government and ruling party came to pay their respects to David. It was good to see so many PPP leaders there.

It must be recalled that it was the PPP that withheld its campaign ads from the Stabroek News because it felt that David was promoting the Alliance For Change.

The PPP leaders showed class in paying tribute to David. They knew that he made a contribution and created an opening for free expression when he was successful in launching the Stabroek News.

They knew how much that meant at that time and thus despite the differences some of them may at times have had with David’s newspaper, they knew that he was an outstanding Guyanese who helped bring freedom to this country, and they turned up to show their appreciation and pay their respects. Whatever differences you may have with man, it ends with his death.

You may fight a man all his life but in his death it is time to set those differences aside and be a human being to a fellow human being. I saw this vividly when Desmond Hoyte died. He was a thorn in the side of the PPP administration.

Yet when he died, President Jagdeo was magnanimous. He offered a State funeral and went out of his way to pay his respects to a man who when he was alive was his political rival. Jagdeo’s stature rose because of the statesmanship that was shown to Hoyte after Hoyte’s death.

At the memorial service held at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, I was looking around all the time. I saw Freddie. I saw Glenn, I saw a great many other persons whom I did not expect to see.

The group seated behind me must have been wondering why I was getting up so often and craning my neck all around.

I was looking for our President. I expected him to be present at that service held in Brickdam. I did not see him. He should have been there. It was his place to be there. He should have turned up.

Latest News

WHERE WAS BHARRAT?

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Renuka, Mandhana consign West Indies to record loss

GBA confirms additional bouts

Opinion: Barbados Cricket Faces Crossroads

KMTC Boxing Day Horse race meet turning out to be...

Candy Boss Invitational 8-A-Side Football...

Chase Academy squares off with St Benedict’s...

Features/Columnists

Chilling reminders that we are not safe

Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will

Fear of retribution

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

WHERE WAS BHARRAT?

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]