Search on for new cemetery site in Clarendon amid space shortage
Published:Tuesday | June 17, 2025 | 12:05 AMOlivia Brown/Gleaner Writer
The authorities in Clarendon are actively seeking a new location for a cemetery, following the full occupancy of the parish’s main burial ground, the Denbigh Cemetery.
May Pen Mayor Joel Williams emphasised that the initiative reflects the Clarendon Municipal Corporation’s broader vision for sustainable development and public service. He was speaking during this month’s sitting of the corporation.
“It’s a project that not only recognises the growth of our town, but also the importance of honouring those that have passed on. The development of the memorial garden and other projects reflects the council’s broader commitment to the well-being of every citizen in May Pen,” said Williams.
Councillor Scean Barnswell, who heads the Hayes Division, echoed the urgency of the matter, highlighting the challenges faced by residents of formal housing schemes, where interment on private property is generally prohibited. He pointed out that the operators of the New Bowens Cemetery within his division have begun restricting burials to residents only.
Clarendon Municipal Corporaton CEO Rowhan Blake noted that while the desire to establish a new cemetery had long existed, the process had been delayed by a combination of feedback from community surveys and technical impediments, including geological concerns. Blake said, however, that significant work had already gone into the effort, despite the setbacks.
According to a 2020 report prepared by the National Environment and Planning Agency’s (NEPA) Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Branch, 68 per cent of the island’s cemeteries had already reached full capacity. The report also highlighted that population growth, fuelled by rural-to-urban migration and rapid urbanisation, had resulted in intense competition for cemetery land.
Blake further explained that although cemeteries in Chapelton, Suttons, and Pennants still have available space, many residents remain reluctant to utilise them.
“Those are public cemeteries, and when you tell people to utilise those, they rather travel outside the parish than use Chapelton, Pennants, or Suttons,” said Blake.
Data from NEPA’s 2020 report revealed, too, that the majority of Jamaicans continue to express a preference for interring their loved ones in private cemeteries, while only 40 per cent favour public burial sites.
The findings cited further that approximately 92 per cent of the deceased are buried in graves, while only eight per cent are cremated.
During last Thursday’s council meeting, several councillors also emphasised the need for a dignified and well-maintained final resting place. They agreed that the condition and management of cemeteries reflect the values of the community and its respect for the departed.