All State-run burial grounds to be properly maintained – Manickchand

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, recently visited the ongoing restoration works at the Bourda Burial Ground on Regent Street, where a major clean-up and rehabilitation exercise is underway to transform the historic site into a cleaner, safer, and more dignified space for the community.

Over the past several days, extensive work has been carried out to restore the cemetery, which had become heavily overgrown and inaccessible in several areas. The project includes the clearing of dense vegetation and accumulated debris, restoration of the perimeter fence, improvement of pathways, and the general beautification of the grounds.

Throughout the restoration process, special care is being taken to ensure that graves and monuments are respected and protected.

During her visit, Minister Manickchand noted that the transformation already taking place at the Bourda Burial Ground was significant.

“You couldn’t even see into the cemetery before because it was so taken over by bush and a jungle, really, in the city,” the Minister said.

However, she explained that the initiative extends far beyond Bourda and forms part of a wider national effort to improve public burial grounds across Guyana.

“We’re not doing this only for Bourda. All across the country, we’re looking at cemeteries and burial grounds that have minimum standards,” she said.

According to the Minister, those standards include regular maintenance, proper fencing, adequate washroom facilities, and creating an environment where people can comfortably visit and pay their respects to loved ones.

“We want people to be able to go in and pay their respects to their loved ones and for these spaces to be pleasant and not carry with them more of the morose nature of death generally,” she explained.

Minister Manickchand also highlighted the distinction between public and private burial grounds, noting that while the Ministry is directly undertaking improvements to public cemeteries, it is also willing to share its proposed standards with owners and managers of private burial grounds, including churches and families.

“This is all part of the beautification and restoration of Guyana and our public spaces,” she said. “We’re bringing back some order and making these spaces pleasant so that people who have to use them can feel respected and feel that they’re part of the process.”

The restoration of the Bourda Burial Ground is one of several initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to improve public spaces across the country while preserving places of historical, cultural, and community significance.