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Funeral homes need leniency from Government

Published:Monday | November 22, 2021 | 12:07 AMRasbert Turner/Gleaner Writer
Peter Perry, managing director of Perry’s Funeral Home.
Peter Perry, managing director of Perry’s Funeral Home.

While many have commended the Government for its recent adjustments in the Disaster Risk Management Act, the operator of a funeral home is asking for leniency.

Peter Perry, the managing director of Perry’s Funeral Home in Spanish Town, St Catherine, said there is discrimination of the industry.

“Not because the first case of COVID-19 was detected by a person who attended a funeral, why we are not treated with leniency,” Peter Perry said. “We (funeral homes) are greatly inconvenienced with the hurried preparation of bodies for burials,”

He said that as a result, bodies that would need more preparation have to be hurried, which often concerns mourners.

“We would also beg the Government to return to the Saturday and Sunday burials,” Perry said. “We need to use the weekdays to prepare for burials, instead of using Sundays to prepare for weekly burials.”

The undertaker said the changes are adversely affecting those who depend on the services of the industry. He is hoping that things will change.

“We definitely need to have more than 20 persons at the funerals,” Perry continued. “We need to have more persons celebrating the departure of their loved ones. It hurts to lose those you love, so at least allow more people to mourn their near and dear ones.”

Perry was speaking to The Gleaner at his business place along Jobs Lane in Spanish Town, St Catherine.

Recently, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced changes that will see 100 persons at weddings, church services and annual general meetings. He also revised the lockdown hours from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., which will be in force till December 10.

rasbert.turner@gleanerjm.com