BURNT GROUND, Hanover – The developers of the controversial $50 million cemetery in this rural community will be asked to make adjustments to the project, reliable sources tell the Sunday Observer. The project, which began earlier this year on the 17-acre property, has been a source of discontent for the more than 2,000 residents.

Residents of Burnt Ground staged several protests over the past few months to push government to stop the project, with no success.

The residents have consistently argued that the cemetery was being built on a water-table and have called on government for an environment impact assessment (EIA) to be done at the site, to determine if the building of the cemetery would contaminate their water supply.

On Friday, local government and environment minister Dean Peart refused to say whether the developers would have to make changes to the project, arguing that it would be premature to discuss the matter at this time.

He added, however, that he had received advice from the Attorney-General’s Office on the matter, and was presently writing a letter to the developers.

“I am drafting a letter now to the developers, so it would be premature now to discuss it,” Peart said yesterday. “So I prefer to hand them (developers) the letter first and then discuss the issue.”

Peart said he consulted with the Attorney General’s office because he was not satisfied with the advice he was getting from some of the technical agencies, and also because of the persistent lobby by residents against the development.

The Water Resources Authority (WRA) and the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) have both stamped their approval on the cemetery.

Dale Delapenha, managing director of Delapenha Funeral Home, developers of the cemetery, said he would issue a statement on the matter after he receives the letter from the environment ministry.

“As you will understand, I am not able to comment on the matter now because I have not received the letter, and nobody has said anything to me. But as soon as that happens, I will make a statement,” he said.

According to Delapenha, the cemetery, which is being developed on the 17-acre property, is already 80 per cent complete.

A chapel, parking spaces, and other infrastructure is to be developed on seven acres of the property, he said, and the burial ground will cover 8.1 acres.

cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com