No grave plots for sale

The Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) has sought to make it clear that plots cannot be purchased in public cemeteries.

Public Relations Officer at the SSA Carl Padmore sent that message following a report in another section of the media in which a man claimed he had bought a plot at Westbury Cemetery where his wife was buried four years ago only to find recently that the grave was being prepared for reuse.

He said he had agreed to pay a man offering funeral services $2 500 for the plot and currently had a $700 outstanding balance.

However, Padmore told Barbados TODAY that the sale of plots in Government-owned cemeteries is strictly forbidden.

“The SSA wants to give Barbadians the assurance that there are no graves, there are no plots for sale at any of the cemeteries we govern. You have Westbury, you have St James, you have Christ Church, and you have Bushy Park…. We have been receiving lots of calls over the last couple days [from people] asking us if they can buy graves, and that persons have been approaching them to buy graves. The answer is ‘no’,” he said.

“Now, there are private agencies like Coral Ridge and those that have bought graves and bought plots…. You are free to go utilise their service, but once you come to a Government public cemetery, then please note that it’s not for sale.” (SB)