Wakenaam gets new cremation site

Aug 27, 2009 News

The first cremation at the new site

Part of the large gathering that turned up to witness the cremation

Residents of Wakenaam are loud in their praise for the new cremation site which has been identified. The site is located east of the Sans Souci Cemetery and has been given a temporary approval by the relevant authorities.
Prior to this, two seaside locations were approved for the cremation of bodies. One is located at Zeelandia Estate and the other on the Sarah foreshore.
Residents have been complaining over the years of the difficulties to access these sites, especially when it rains. Apart from this, the sites are located far away from the road and can only be reached by walking.
When it rains heavily, residents have to walk in ankle-deep mud. Many persons decide against visiting the site at a funeral although they desire to do so, because of the conditions.
At Zeelandia Estate, residents have to walk on a Sea Dam which is in a terrible state, bending under the low limbs of trees. This site is also affected by the tide because when the tide is high one cannot reach the site easily. At both sites, bodies are cremated from the ground level and this gives some difficulty to retrieve ashes.
However, this new site is close to the public road. A concrete structure has already been constructed for the cremation of bodies.
The first Cremation took place on Tuesday, that of Mr. Badri Prasad also known as Babooram and Massa, a well known rice farmer and cattle rearer of Wakenaam Island.
In a speech at that funeral, Councillor Cecil Adams of the Wakenaam NDC praised the authorities for their decision. He said that people will be more comfortable now to witness the cremation of their loved ones. Already $250,000 has been spent on the new location for a base for the pyre and residents are hoping that the authorities will confirm a permanent approval for the cremation site.
This represented the first time on the island of Wakenaam that hundreds of persons have been able to attend a funeral at a cremation site.