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Authorities close illegal funeral parlour in New Amsterdam
The building at New Amsterdam where the illegal funeral parlour is located
At approximately 13:00 hrs on Thursday, the New Amsterdam Town Council summoned the police at Central Police Station to visit a location at Savannah Park, New Amsterdam where a building stands. The building, that once facilitated a private school but is reportedly owned by the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) Berbice Chapter was said to be operating a funeral parlour illegally.
The police, led by police Inspector Godfrey Playter together with the Town Council’s Environmental Health Assistant swooped down at the location.
An individual who identified himself as Imran Khan, an Office Assistant of CIOG Berbice, was in control and present at the building.
Khan was sitting at a desk inside the edifice. He was confronted by the police and asked whether he was operating a mortuary – he reportedly admitted that he was.
Documents were then requested pertaining to the legality of the place but none could be provided. He stated that were still being processed.
The mortuary, which has been operating since November 1, 2017, has brought concerns to residents living nearby because of some “suspicious movements. They also complained that it is a health hazard.
A notice that was attached to the door entering the building leading directly to the mortuary stated that “The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana wishes to inform you that November 1, 2017, the Muslim Burial Service, Funeral Parlor will commence operation in New Amsterdam Berbice”. There were also a list of names and contact numbers at the bottom of the notice.
The notice that was attached to the building.
Abdool Hafeez, a CIOG Berbice representative who engaged with the police told them that the documents are still in progress. He stated that he was instructed by “senior members in Georgetown” to go ahead with the operation. It was revealed that fifteen bodies were prepared and stored in the “undocumented mortuary” since November, while two more were in cold storage at the time of the visit.
The facility can only accommodate three bodies at a time and adjacent to the morgue area stands a room inclusive of a table (to prepare the bodies) with pipeline connections. There was a ‘drain pipe’ leading aback of the building. Neighbours live just a few metres away.
After the documents could not be produced, the police instructed the persons present to shut the facility down and cease all operations until the legal documents could be produced.
According to a Town Council source, previous attempts were made by the representatives of the council to verify the legality of the establishment but these were unsuccessful.
“We would normally meet doors and gate locked”.
Meanwhile, when the CIOG head office was contacted they stated that they could not comment on the issue since the head of the organisation was unavailable.
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