Juliet McLean (left) comforts Merlene Raymond-Harris as she mourns the loss of her mother, Fay West-Delion, outside the Comfort Castle Seventh-day Adventist Church in Portland yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
The grief of 12-year-old Lisann Lewis was shared by scores of mourners who crammed the Comfort Castle Seventh-day Adventist Church at the funeral of four persons who died in a truck crash last December.
"Daddy is gone, I want my father," cried Lisann, whose father, Aaron, perished in the accident.
The funeral, which was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. yesterday, was delayed because Joyce White, mother to one of the deceased, Faston Omarla Telfer, was adamant that the body was not her son's.
"I am sure that is not my son," said White. "My son does not have a beard and now there is hair on his chin. Also when I viewed the body on the night of the accident, he had his teeth smashed as a result of the accident.
White's claim was, however, discounted by Teddy Lawrence, uncle of the deceased.
Hundreds of well-wishers turned out to the service, many of them forced to watch proceedings on a projector in an adjoining building.
Two other bodies were laid to rest - Joyce Scott, and Fay West-Dileon, who would have celebrated her 69th birthday tomorrow.
Compassion
James Robertson, minister without portfolio, who represented the prime minister, commended the Government as well as religious and community groups for the compassion shown to bereaved families.
"This is an extremely sad occasion," he said. "We have not forgotten the people of this area, and we remain committed to your cause."
Dr Donald Rhodd, member of parliament in whose constituency the Rio Grande Valley is located, also lauded the recovery effort.
The high point of the funeral was a special appeal by officiating pastor, Jason Moore, who called on the Government to address the infrastructural deficiencies in the Rio Grande Valley.
"We do not need another accident experience to respond to instructions," he said. "The instructions are clear: restore roads, light and water supplies.
Yesterday's funeral brings to seven, the number of Rio Grande accident victims buried so far. Another funeral is scheduled for January 25 when seven other bodies will be laid to rest.
Fourteen persons died when a truck with mainly market vendors plunged over a precipice in the Rio Grande Valley on December 19, 2008. Seven persons survived the accident.