Sources confirm body was left on ward because it was unclaimed by relatives who would guarantee pay

A dead body was left on a ward at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre
for over a day, reportedly after both funeral homes refused to accept
the body.

REAL News has received confirmation of that report, which was
broken by correspondent George Wehner on Wednesday, July 26.
Reports say that a patient died on Saturday, July 22, but there was
no family member to claim the remains.

This, sources explain, is what caused the corpse to remain at the
medical facility for over 36 hours, with nurses reportedly having to
work around the body.

The sources say that both Straffies and Barnes Funeral Homes have
instituted a policy of not accepting bodies unless their next of kin
agrees to assume financial responsibility for the funeral
arrangements. 

The Government reportedly owes the two undertakers many
thousands of dollars for burials, including official funerals, with
arrears running for several years.

Reportedly, one undertaker was able to get a portion of the money it
is owed following the death of former Prime Minister Lester Bird,
since certain services the Government required could be provided
only by that particular funeral home.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Browne Administration
received a container freezer to store the bodies of those who had
died of the disease.

However, according to a source, that facility has not been working
since last year due to a mechanical fault that prevents it from
freezing properly.

Allegations are that the technician responsible for fixing the freezer
had informed the permanent secretary about the replacement part
required. However,  the Ministry of Health failed to order it and the
situation remains the same.

Hence, the recently deceased patient could not be stored there in the
interim.

Ultimately, Wehner says, it was out of concern for the medical
disaster the corpse might have caused that the management of
Straffies Funeral Home accepted it.

Apparently, directions on what to do with the body had been sought
from the suspended coroner, Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh. A
source says she directed that Dexter Wason, the acting chief
magistrate, be contacted since he now serves as the coroner.
Reportedly, however, Wason had no solution to the problem.

In the meantime, a source tells REAL News that the defective freezer
contains about four to six bodies, including that of a Haitian man
whose son allegedly has refused to take responsibility for his
remains.

All the other bodies reportedly have had no next of kin come
forward to make a claim. Allegedly, these persons died during the
height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and no autopsies have been done
on them.

The law mandates that a person cannot be buried without a cause of
death being established and a relative being notified of the burial.
Therefore, the Government has to hold onto the bodies until a family
member is found and accepts the remains. If a person is buried
without knowledge of the family, reportedly, these relatives could
then take legal action.

The source alleges that a permanent secretary had written to then
Chief Magistrate Walsh, demanding that she give authorization to
bury those bodies. 

However, the source adds, Walsh refused, knowing what the law
says about notifying the family and knowing, too, that the Ministry
of Health had refused to act on the advice of the freezer technician.
Meanwhile, a source says that Attorney-General Steadroy “Cutie”
Benjamin was expected to have the legal drafters put together
legislation that allows the State to bury someone, after a certain
period, without notifying the family.