Funeral director wants more mourners

A leading undertaker in western Jamaica has called for an upward adjustment in the number of persons allowed at funerals.

Melvin Honeyghan, the managing director of Honeyghan's Funeral Home, said that the 30 mourners limit is far too low.

"The matter of 30 people for a funeral is a burning shame as a funeral is what I call a closure event," Honeyghan said.

The Government imposed restrictions on gathering at events last year as part of a move to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. At one stage, there was a ban on funerals, and burials were limited to only 15 persons, inclusive of 10 mourners. However, the restriction was relaxed on July 1, allowing for funerals to take place with a maximum of 30 persons present inside the church, other places of worship or funeral home. The 30 persons include mourners, clergy and any support personnel.

"The Government should know that the only thing in the world that needs closure is death. Death is so final you will never see nor hear from the bereaved again," said Honeyghan, who is also the president of the Funeral Directors Association of Jamaica.

His disquiet with existing protocols comes when sections of the world are dealing with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, due mainly to the Delta variant. Jamaica has recorded more than 51,220 cases of the disease with 1,157 deaths. Public health experts have cautioned that the country could see a spike in the numbers if persons fail to follow the health protocols.

But Honeyghan argued that mourners deserve a break from the tight restrictions, especially as the entertainment sector has been reopened. While clarifying that he had no problem with that, he questioned why funerals have a 30-person limit but even small parties can have 100.

With the current measures under the Disaster Risk Management Act due for review, Honeyghan is hoping that the Government will see the wisdom in allowing more mourners at funerals.

"Party is something that patrons would be caught up in dances such as dutty wine, where we are wining on each other as close as possible, while at a funeral you will find much more self control than a party," Honeyghan said.