Belgrove repeats call for national cemetery

BELGROVES Group of Companies CEO Keith Belgrove has repeated a call for the establishment of a national cemetery.

He did so when he addressed the opening of a new $3 million Belgroves crematorium in Point Fortin on Thursday.

Belgrove said the call came from the Association of Funeral Professionals.

"It's many years now that we have been recommending a national cemetery, and I want to put it out today."

He made this call directly to Rural Development and Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi.

Such a cemetery needed to be large and have subdivisions for deceased members of the military and every arm of government.

Belgrove said, "In this country, we do not celebrate and honour our leaders when they pass, in any meaningful way."

He identified St Lucia as one country with national cemeteries.

"So we need to make those changes."

Funeral homes, Belgrove continued, have had positive impacts in TT over the years. In 1997, 17 per cent of the people who died in that year were cremated. Belgrove said the company introduced TT's first private crematorium then. In 1999, Belgroves established its second crematorium.

He said, "Many funeral homes saw the light and followed."

Belgrove estimated that today 55 per cent of the deceased are cremated annually. He hoped this figure would increase to 60-65 per cent with the addition of the Point Fortin crematorium.

Belgroves now has crematoria in San Fernando, Trincity, Chaguanas and Point Fortin.

The company is looking to build a crematorium in Lambeau, Tobago, in the near future.

"This is how funeral services support nation-building and also reduces the burden on every regional corporation corporations.

Belgrove also said it was not wise to recycle graves for burials as the integrity of the grave would be compromised over time.