Lord Ridge Cemetery out of space; dead will travel 13 miles
The Lord Ridge Cemetery is a landmark in Belize City. Situated at the western entrance of the Old Capital, it is the final resting place for City residents who have died in the past one hundred and twenty four years. But with a growing population there is now a serious problem of grave space. The Belize City Council has identified a new site comprising twenty point seven acres of land that can accommodate well over twelve thousand grave sites but it is far from the city. News Five’s Marion Ali went on a tour of the Lord Ridge Cemetery and the site of the proposed burial ground. She has a report on the transition and the existing problems at both locations.
Marion Ali, reporting
The Lord Ridge Cemetery where Belize City residents have interned their loved ones since 1886 has run out of space. In fact, the Belize City Council says there are so few spaces available that if they don’t act swiftly, there may be a crisis soon.
Dion Leslie & Phillip Willoughby
Dion Leslie, Councilor, Belize City Council
“Right now on paper we only have twelve spaces of burial space left at this cemetery. That’s apart from those people that want to be buried in their families’ tombs or what not, that’s still allowed. There’s no more space here, we’re filled to capacity.”
Marion Ali
“But there is a proposed solution to the problem of grave space. And the only thing city residents will have to get acquainted with is the fact that your dearly departed will be resting further away from you – much further away – in fact, here at mile thirteen on the Western Highway.”
john bowden
John Bowden, Senior Public Health Officer, Ministry of Health
“The lowest level of this land is actually nineteen feet above sea level and the highest is twenty four feet. So we’re looking at very compact land and very suitable land for burial itself.”
Marion Ali
“It won’t sink?”
John Bowden
“No, it’s solid land. We have only been using the space underground. We have to remember that there is space above ground and as a result of that we have actually drafted legislation to support this new method of burial.”
Karen Williams, Principal Planner, Lands Dept.
karen williams
“We normally look at planning housing sub-divisions for the living and we are going to be project in planning the sub-division for our deceased Belizeans, so it follows basically the same principles. You come in, you make sure there is proper drainage, proper streets in place and the design of the parcel itself, we need to ensure that those are properly designed, that there’s any other facilities like parking or of there is going to be chapel, all of those things that they’re properly accounted for from the planning stage which is at this point.”
The collaborative effort among the City Council, the Ministries of Works, Health and Natural Resources will encompass designing and planning to ensure that contractors adhere to important building codes to avoid the problems that exist at the Lord’s Ridge Cemetery.
Dion Leslie
“The conditions not fit for the dead, worse not fit for the living to visit your loved ones in conditions like this,”
Philip Willoughby, Deputy Mayor
“Concerns from the residents in this area are that one, the smell, the flooding of the area because of the filling of the cemetery that has occurred has created an unbalanced level in the streets so when it rains all the water flows in that direction.”
Marion Ali
“But already on our first tour of the area the media encountered growing pains. The access road, which is about a quarter mile from the cemetery is under water. How much under water? Enough to prevent vehicles from entering. But according to officials this problem will be resolved in due course.”
Karen Williams
“As we noted a lot of the water at the front there is basically because the water is not draining off properly so to go in, put in the drainage at the beginning, get the streets properly built up according to the Ministry of Works standards and then we can come in at the back here.”
But while the project offers much sturdier ground than the newly expanded Lord’s Ridge, transportation will be an issue for poorer families who have to bury their dead. But Councilor Leslie says the Council will take this into consideration with a view to possibly offering packages to families. With a growing population and the space for real estate getting more scarce daily, it is comforting to know that there is a new location that will be the final resting place for many who depart this life over the next thirty years. Marion Ali for News Five.
Councilor Leslie says if the Council runs into problems before the new site is ready, they will simply have to find more space at the Lord’s Ridge Cemetery. So far, sixty thousand dollars have been allocated to start. The only other cemetery within proximity and accessibility to city residents is the privately owned Homeland Memorial near mile eight on the Western Highway.
One would think that this problem should have been addressed long before there are only 12 burial spaces left. With murders,accidents,Aids,diabetes deaths etc.,these spaces can be used up in one day. So typical of the leaders that are responsible for such simple tasks.
Well the best solution would be alternatives to burial and occupying much needed land would be cremation.
It is typical of our government past and present, and those in control of our welfare system.
If they did their jobs properly it would not have come to this.
NO MORE GRAVESPACE CEMETERY PACKED TO CAPACITY
Only Twelve More Spaces Left !!!!!!! screams the headlines.
Could they not have foreseen this problem before the “we only have twelve spaces left?”
“But don’t worry”, they say, “there is a proposed solution to the problem”. Well it should not have become a problem in the first place.
How long will it take before this “proposed solution to the problem” takes effect, when plans are only just being drafted. What happens in the meantime?
Shall we all make a dash to the top of the line or maybe we could just stop dying. No one wants to be number 13, or any following numbers because “there is no more spaces left after 12”.
This would be a joke if it wasn’t such a serious matter.
With so many killings in belize i started a plan to established a creamation place there in belize, It was abvious that at some point burial place would deminished, beside that sad fact cremation is cheaper than actual burial, not really your traditional burial but cheaper, and all you have to do is buy the urn and pay for shipping and handeling.
Murder rate is up as a result the demand for burial plot will increase.
$60,000. allocated for the start of a new cemetery is a JOKE. A top of the line vehicle costs more.
What an insult to poor Belizeans!
What about removing the squatters adjacent to the cemetery? There are many people in that area living on garbage, without plumbing and pirating electricity.
Relocate those people to a more sanitary place and expand the cemetery in that direction.
I like the first comment which tells the whole story! I GOB (central government and the local governments) at all levels always react instead of act. No fore thought. If there are only 12 spaces at the current cemetery they do not have the time needed to do the necessary design and layout with monuments of a new cemetery before they are out of space.
This is sad!
Isn’t it typical of this government, improper planning, no consultation and the like. The council nor folks from the Ministry have not consulted with the Hattieville Village Council . It is reasonable to expect some dialogue with the village council since the cemetery falls within the village boundary.
ceecee ……. SAID IT BEST!!!!! Our leaders seem to lack the ability for LONG TERM PLANNING.
Hey CONGRATULATIONS TO MR. WILLOUGHBY … He’s at least attempting to dress like a professional with a shirt and tie.
All the other people in the other countries that is small like belize tinkin about expandin their blood line while belizean talk about where they r goin to bury theirs that is so sad. when the cemetery don’t want them. U have to find other space to put then. If they shav sense they would volentere there time and help the people that caunt help them self insted of using that land 4 grave they should be buildin houses 4 the people of belize. Affordable houses. But they rather kill each other now they worryin about where to bury them stupid people I. Caunt understand.
How will the average Citizen get to mile 13 to bury their love one ?It seems that everything in Belize is done without taking the poor Citizen’s interest into consideration.
As I said before, nobody in High Places give’s a Rats A-s about the Living Citizens of our Country, muchless the Dead. It’s back to RESPECT again my beloved brothers and sisters. These Idiots are not ashame to inform us about the Cemetery’s capacity until it’s too late. They think that they are insulting our inteligence, but the last laugh is on them. A 3 year old child can see that our Cemetery is at full capacity, These supposed educated Idiots are being paid to demonstrate their STUPIDITY and the whole world is probably laughing at us all. Thanks to the (Donkeys), Sorry, the Jack-sses in High Places.
will say it again:
What about removing the squatters adjacent to the cemetery? There are many people in that area living on garbage, without plumbing and pirating electricity.
Relocate those people to a more sanitary place and expand the cemetery in that direction.
I have been to this area. It’s swamp, garbage, london bridges, people living in extremely unhealthy conditions. Relocate the squatters and expand the cemetery!!!