Tashieka Mair & Richard Morais, Gleaner Writers

Police escort protestors away from the vicinity of the Burnt Ground main road near the controversial Royale Rest Cemetery in Hanover, yesterday. The protestors had earlier blocked the Burnt Ground main road and lit fires in their ongoing protest against burials at the site. - photo by Richard Morais

WESTERN BUREAU:

Residents of several communities in Hanover and Westmoreland were stranded or had to find alternative routes to get to school and work as militant residents of Shettle Wood and surrounding communities protested against a burial at the controversial Royale Rest Cemetery in Burnt Ground, Hanover.

Stones, trees, burning tyres and other debris were used to block several sections of the road, causing motorists to divert from their regular routes.

Residents say they are angry at the fact that, despite their best efforts, a body was buried at the cemetery on Saturday under questionable circumstances.

The residents said they went to the controversial site on Saturday after reading in a local newspaper that a burial would be taking place there. The residents claimed they had to flee after several armed men came to the location in a bus and demanded they leave the area.

They want the intervention of the prime minister and the Ministry of Health.

"Right now is 32 communities this thing affect and, when them finish laying the pipes in the area, it is going to affect the five parishes in western Jamaica. So, if this is what it takes for our voices to be heard, that is what we are going to do," a female resident stated.

Reactions no surprise

When The Gleaner contacted Dale Delapenha of Delapenha Funeral Homes, owner of the cemetery, he confirmed that a body was in fact buried at the site and said he was not surprised by the residents' reactions.

When asked about the allegations that gunmen had provided security during the burial on Saturday, he said, "This is the type of propaganda and misinformation that this campaign to stop the cemetery has been built on. So, nothing at this stage surprises me."

The protests come two weeks after arsonists firebombed a storehouse on the property, causing damage in excess of $2 million, and three weeks after the cancellation of the first planned burial that failed to take place as residents blocked off the area, preventing the hearse from taking the body on to the premises.

In November last year, a stop order that was placed on the cemetery was lifted and permission was granted for the company to exercise its legal rights.