The concrete for the tomb tops was mixed amid mud and water.

Mill Bank, Portland (the district in which eight people who died in the December 19 market-truck accident lived) is a watery place, which has a regular abundance of rainfall. The water is responsible for the deplorable road conditions that exist in the area, for the most part.

So, in an effort to give people who were expected to attend the funeral of seven of the deceased a smooth ride to the community, the authorities carried out road-patching work over the days leading up to the service, on Sunday. But, it was all in vain.

Starting last Wednesday, the skies over the Rio Grande valley opened their water gates and Mill Bank got more than its fair share of heavenly tears. Material that was put over the rough road surfaces was washed away by water cascading from the hills. The craters were widened, and in the community itself, mud was everywhere. It was going to be one big mess.

The rain had hampered the grave-construction work. Water had settled in some of the holes, which caused one resident to say, "A swim the duppy dem a go swim". Yet, the water was bailed out by funeral time. The conditions since Thursday, according to two female residents, were not good.

Muddy climax

One was worried stiff; the other was not. She was quite cynical about the sudden attention Mill Bank was getting and said she knew that as soon as the funeral was over, nobody would remember the community. She warned, "Tell the woman them who a plan to wear spike heel to wear water boots instead, and those who a plan fi dress up, tell them fi nuh bada wid that because a no King's House dem a goh, a pure mud mud up yah and mi sorry fi them."

And her words came to pass. The rain eased up on Saturday, yet the land was saturated. On Sunday, it was a grand, muddy climax. The funeral was held in the repaired community centre and a huge tent was erected to shelter those who could not be accommodated in the centre.

The football field near the centre and on which the tent was erected was transformed into a mud lake. The floor of the centre was covered with wet, brown earth.

Those, including Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller, who wore slippers and heels, found themselves in a sticky situation as they navigated through the slush and muck. Barefooted women were now a common sight to see, while the men rolled up their pants. Eventually, everybody gave up fighting the mud, surrendering to nature and their lack of foresight. It was time for mourning.

Left: A young man waits his turn while some women wash the thick mud from their feet at a standpipe. Right: This mourner chose to go barefoot in order to preserve her shoes. - photos by Paul Williams