Roseau Neglected Cemetery

by Clyde Gregoire

Why is the premier burial site in Roseau so unkempt? This is a place where returning Dominicans regularly visit the last resting place of loved ones.
The Cemetery is not only a public archive of history and to learn about our people but the era of the time they lived in too. Some people died 100 years ago, and their gravestones always have fresh flowers, while some who died last year flowers had been eaten up and the seeds are struggling to germinate. This says a lot about our people and their regard for their loved ones.

Grave Recycling
"The problem we face with the Roseau Cemetary," says Monsignor Eustace Thomas "is that it is getting too small. We had the same problem with the Mahaut Cemetery and had to close it."
This affliction will soon cause a massive recycling of graves, which will bring about a controversy where preservation of our culture is concerned. With the lack of maintenance of grave sites, recycling of graves will hardly be noticed, especially with the erosion of tombstones and debris.

Maintenance
"We have one guy who maintains the cemetery," says Mr Frankly Harris of the Roseau City Council, but is one guy enough to remove dead tree limbs, litter, the cutting back of grass and brush? There are even trees that need removing as the cemetery has been neglected for so long. The Roseau City Council collects $600 for each grave to be dug and closed back up. "How much of this $600 goes to the maintenance of the cemetery? How much of this $600 goes to the repaving of the asphalt road at the cemetery? Mr Harris says, that he does not know.

Neglect
Doesn't this cost come under the mayors' office? Our Services in Roseau have been suffering under the Mayorship of Ms Irene John and as we all can see, the Roseau Cemetery has quietly been overlooked.

Mayor Irene John

Tourists and Diasporas who are fascinated with old cemeteries, find them noble especially in the way families engrave their chosen words for their loved ones with religious and fraternal attachments but today, our Catholic Cemetary is not worth the stroll as it is not maintained and this is quite inconvenient. It is a disgrace to our ancestors and to the 'meet me in Dominica' campaign.