Dear Editor,

The Jamaican (local) funeral industry is facing severe pressure due to the fact that virtual funerals have taken over from in-person funerals for which a number of goods and services were provided by the funeral homes.

The funeral service industry is facing a severe shortage of working capital and this resonates to the wider industry. The Government and its agencies have all reduced their budgets, and assistance that was once given has been reduced or no longer given.

The Government collects millions of dollars from the sector on the goods and services that are provided and should now consider increasing the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) funeral grant and assistance from Members of Parliament and parish councils.

The funeral homes are asked to keep and store bodies for protracted periods of time while the bereaved families employ a wait-and-see attitude. If funeral homes were to charge based on the value of the service and the length of time we are asked to store bodies, it would put a severe financial strain on the bereaved families.

Joseph M Cornwall Sr

Managing director

House of Tranquillity Funeral Home Limited

tranquillityfh@yahoo.com