Cabinet orders that burials begin at Tomlinson’s site right away – but after fencing and building plans are completed

The Ministry of Health will be forced to commence burials at the
Tomlinson’s site earmarked for a new public cemetery, even before
design plans for a modern facility are implemented.
 
Health officials say the St. John’s Public Cemetery can no longer
accommodate burials, except in the existing graves of family
members.
 

The new Tomlinson’s cemetery had been expected to introduce new
technologies in burials, with a crematorium being part of the design.
 
But during its meeting on Wednesday, August 23, the Executive
reportedly agreed to commence burials at Tomlinson’s immediately.
 
This decision, however, will be implemented after the demarcated
land has been fenced and the plans for graves and buildings are
completed. The area had been fenced some time ago, but the barrier
is now in disrepair.

It was noted further that “regulations are to be adopted by the
Parliament … in order to ensure that certain standards are adhered
to in the new Tomlinson’s Cemetery.”
 
For instance, officials say that only standardized headstones are to
be utilized in order to maintain a tidy and respectful burial place for
loved ones.
 
In addition to the decision on Tomlinson’s, the Cabinet decided that
burials would be extended to the community and churchyard
cemeteries.
 
In 2021, the Valley Church Community Cemetery became a popular
burying ground, but that location is also nearing maximum capacity.
 
Accordingly, the Cabinet says, “It is evident that cremation will
become an alternative to [the] burial of cadavers.”
 
In 2021 – after public demands for answers – Health Minister Sir
Molwyn Joseph had blamed the delay in delivering the
new cemetery on the lack of funding.

However, he said then, all the technical work had been completed
–by an expert from the United States who had developed the
Arlington National Cemetery, along with local architects and
engineers.

The construction had an initial estimate of $2 million – to install the
infrastructure at the Tomlinson site – and Joseph claimed that this
sum – transferred from the CIP Fund several years ago – had already
been deposited into the Treasury.