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Former Member
‘Poor burials’ scam unearthed at Good Hope cemetery - multiple coffins buried in single grave, GPHC outraged
By STABROEK STAFF | LOCAL | THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011

Coffins with unclaimed bodies due for burial have been discovered stacked atop each other in single shallow grave plots at the Good Hope Cemetery, in what is believed to be a scheme to defraud the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) of funds paid out for their disposal. In one instance, six wooden boxes containing bodies and small body parts used for testing in post-mortem examinations were stacked in a single plot, which the GPH says is in violation of the contract for disposal. GPHC uses the Good Hope facility to perform “poor burials” and is billed for each grave order, which requires that there should be no more than one box per plot. GPHC management, which was informed of the situation by Stabroek News, is outraged and has since said that hospital personnel will accompany corpses to the burial site to oversee the process.


One of the graves with six coffins

After viewing photographs of the shallow graves supplied by Stabroek News, GPHC spokesperson Alero Proctor said that the hospital will seek advice on the next course of action when Chief Executive Officer Michael Khan, who is away, returns. She added that the Occupational Safety and Health Officer of the hospital intends to take the photographs to contractors as early as possible.


One of the coffins being transported to the grave at the Good Hope cemetery

“We now have the proof of photographs that the contractors were defrauding the corporation,” Proctor said. When Stabroek News contacted the Mon Repos Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) on Monday for a comment on the situation, Superintendent Rocky Ramgopaul said that the authority was not aware of the situation. He said that he would have an inspector “go and check it out.” Attempts yesterday to reach Ramgopaul were futile.

‘Most shocking’


The grave with six coffins

A member of the public discovered the situation when he went to the facility to attend a funeral. According to him, he noticed around 10 boxes that appeared to be coffins being offloaded from a truck and upon inquiring, he was told that the boxes were being placed in separate graves. However, upon further investigating at the site where they dug the graves, he found two shallow graves; one grave with six boxes stacked in two rows, one on top the other; and the other, smaller grave, with two boxes on top each other. “I assume that the last box would have been put on top of the upper box in the smaller grave, making it a stack of three in all,” he explained. He noted also that the boxes are “very close” to the surface.


The coffin being buried close to the surface

Realising that they had been caught in a lie, the member of the public said the men who were offloading the boxes from the truck subsequently allowed him to have a peek through the cracks of one of the boxes and explained that it contained body parts from post-mortem examinations. When he asked why the remains were not burnt for sanitary reasons, the men said that it would cost more to do so. While the box may have contained body parts it may have also had a body within.

The member of the public said that a companion spoke with the truck driver, who explained that some of the boxes contained not one, but two bodies. He added that his companion was told that this situation also went on at the Le Repentir Cemetery, but with the graveyard now full, they were now burying the remains at the Good Hope location. “In mild terms, this is most shocking and macabre,” the member of the public said. “How can we treat our people in this manner? Not to mention the health concerns.”

‘Required standards’

Proctor noted that the hospital uses the crematorium at Good Hope for ‘poor burials,’ which is usually the result of having unclaimed bodies at its mortuary for over a certain period. Also, specimens for testing during or after autopsies are also disposed of in this manner. These specimens or small body parts, Proctor said, are sent to the GPHC’s Medical Laboratory from hospitals countrywide and it is GPHC’s responsibility to have them disposed of.

A “poor burial” costs $15,000 per grave order, which Proctor noted is half the price of cremating a corpse. The hospital also pays contractors for hardwood and transportation. As of July 31, according to GPHC statistics, the hospital had stood the cost for 23 graves—seven in February; eight in March; and eight in June—at a total cost of $632,500. According to Proctor, all bodies are carefully wrapped by GPH’s mortuary staff and are individually placed into “rough boxes” for burial, while the small body parts are placed in colour-coded bags—indicating that they are infectious waste—and they are placed together in boxes. Mortuary staff secures the boxes, nailing them shut using close to twenty (20) 3-4” nails, before they are transported

A private entity, Proctor said, is contracted to have the boxes transported to the crematorium and thereafter it is the responsibility of the Sexton to have the burial take place according to the “required standard.” Proctor noted that there are no sanitary risks involved in burying the bodies and the parts, once the burial is done in accordance with the required standard, which she reiterated is the responsibility of the sexton.

In order to ensure that protocols are being followed and to avoid any occurrence of improper or unsafe practice, Proctor said that the Facilities Management Department of the hospital will in future have a staff member accompany the corpses to the burial site and oversee the process. (Frances Abraham)

Source

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Who the hell is this despicable, lazy mony grubbing contractor? Such a one should immediately incur a lifetime ban from any state agency contract. Further, he/she should be fined heavily for this mishandling of human remains. I is disrespectful to say the least and further a health hazard
FM
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
Who the hell is this despicable, lazy mony grubbing contractor? Such a one should immediately incur a lifetime ban from any state agency contract. Further, he/she should be fined heavily for this mishandling of human remains. I is disrespectful to say the least and further a health hazard

In a society where "anythings goes" is the operating norm, why would one be surprised.
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Mitwah:
Even the dead can't rest in peace. Is the contractor a friend of the PPP/C?


This is a good question but it is also a very poor insinuation that every contractor awarded a contract is somehow a PPP supporter what evidence do you have of this?
HM
quote:
Originally posted by Horse Man:
quote:
Originally posted by Mitwah:
Even the dead can't rest in peace. Is the contractor a friend of the PPP/C?


This is a good question but it is also a very poor insinuation that every contractor awarded a contract is somehow a PPP supporter what evidence do you have of this?


The construction of the Berbice bridge is good start. Only a friend of the PPP/C would attempt this type of immoral act of burial.
Mitwah
quote:
Originally posted by Mitwah:
quote:
Originally posted by Horse Man:
quote:
Originally posted by Mitwah:
Even the dead can't rest in peace. Is the contractor a friend of the PPP/C?


This is a good question but it is also a very poor insinuation that every contractor awarded a contract is somehow a PPP supporter what evidence do you have of this?


The construction of the Berbice bridge is good start. Only a friend of the PPP/C would attempt this type of immoral act of burial.


Which friend of the PPP built the Berbice bridge?
HM
Cemetery management accepts liability after ‘poor burials’ scam - reach compromise with GPH
By FRANCES ABRAHAM | 3 COMMENTS | LOCAL | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

Management of the Good Hope Cemetery has expressed regret at the shallow grave burials recently discovered and has accepted liability for what has happened, according the Public Relations Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital Alero Proctor. Proctor told Stabroek News that the Hospital’s Management has had a meeting with the Management of the cemetery and crematorium and they have managed to come to a compromise. The crematorium will grant the hospital six concessions for future burials and in an effort to avoid any recurrence of improper or unsafe practice, Proctor reiterated that the Facilities Management Department of the hospital, which is responsible for the operation, will in future have a staff member accompany the corpses to the burial site and oversee the process.

Coffins with unclaimed bodies due for burial had been discovered stacked atop each other in single shallow grave plots at the Good Hope Cemetery, in what is believed to be a scheme to defraud the Georgetown Public Hospital of funds paid out for their disposal. The scam was reported by Stabroek News after a member of the public supplied photos.


The shallow graves as they previously were. This box, which was stacked on top of two others, can be seen approximately 12 inches below ground level.

In one instance, six wooden boxes containing bodies and small body parts used for testing in post-mortem examinations were stacked in a single plot, which the hospital says is in violation of the contract for disposal. GPHC uses the Good Hope facility to perform “poor burials” and is billed for each grave order, which requires that there should be no more than one box per plot. With the burial site having since undergone an expansion, this has prompted questions about whether more bodies and/or body parts have been disposed of in shallow graves or if the previous ones were dug up and properly buried.


A view of the mass grave as it was on Monday last.

An officer from the Mon Repos Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) on Monday last accompanied the individual who had initially made the discovery to examine the area for himself. The Superintendent of the NDC, Rocky Ramgopaul, and the Sanitary Inspector, whose name was only given as “Marlon,” had both said that not much could have been done, since it would be difficult to locate the shallow graves. The Chairman of the NDC Ragnauth Raghu later accepted the invitation to send one of his officers and as such, Ramgopaul and ‘Marlon,’ both went to the site to have a look.

When contacted yesterday, Ramgopaul said that ‘Marlon’ would be required to prepare a report and would be the appropriate person to speak to. However, attempts to contact the inspector proved futile. Meanwhile, Proctor indicated that the matter is considered to be closed. “We have to use their service because we will have to conduct more poor burials,” she further noted.

The member of the public discovered the situation when he went to the facility to attend a funeral. According to him, he noticed around 10 boxes that appeared to be coffins being offloaded from a truck and upon inquiring he was told that the boxes were being placed in separate graves. However, upon further investigating at the site where they dug the graves, he said he found two shallow graves; one grave with six boxes stacked in two rows, one on top the other; and the other, smaller grave, with two boxes on top each other. “I assume that the last box would have been put on top of the upper box in the smaller grave, making it a stack of three in all,” he explained. He noted also that the boxes are “very close” to the surface.

Realising that they had been caught in a lie, he said the men who were offloading the boxes from the truck subsequently allowed him to have a peek through the cracks of one of the boxes and explained that it contained body parts from post-mortem examinations. When he asked why the remains were not burnt for sanitary reasons, the men said that it would cost more to do so. While the box may have contained body parts it may have also had a body within.

The member of the public said that a companion spoke with the truck driver, who explained that some of the boxes contained not one, but two bodies. He added that his companion was told that this situation also went on at the Le Repentir Cemetery, but with the graveyard now full, they were now burying the remains at the Good Hope location.

Source
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Mitwah:
Even the dead can't rest in peace. Is the contractor a friend of the PPP/C?

You can bet he is a PPP Govt crony. Like the over cost NIS building, this is just another way for the PPP Govt to funnel money to their buddies.
FM
HEHEHE . Is The Snakeoil, Dem Ah watch you. Is Deh Snakeoil. Dem Ah Watch you. yippie yippie partybanana partybanana
quote:
Originally posted by Cobra:
The AFC is doing a wonderful job by bringing out bits and pieces of an isolated human blunder to cause a feeding frenzy among the war-hogs.
Nehru
quote:
Originally posted by Cobra:
The AFC is doing a wonderful job by bringing out bits and pieces of an isolated human blunder to cause a feeding frenzy among the war-hogs.

Isolated human blunder...mass graves. I guess like CBJ's isolated blunder declaring himself a Commie in the 50's. dunno
FM
quote:
Originally posted by D2:
Who the hell is this despicable, lazy mony grubbing contractor? Such a one should immediately incur a lifetime ban from any state agency contract. Further, he/she should be fined heavily for this mishandling of human remains. I is disrespectful to say the least and further a health hazard


Do not preach about Guyana when right here in the US they did worse at Burr Oak Cemetery.
FM

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