IT has been more than eight years since the Government announced renovation plans for of May Pen Cemetery in Corporate Area, yet the burial ground where many famous Jamaicans have been laid to rest remains in a deplorable state, and the workers are frustrated about the unkept promise.

Workers at the cemetery told the Jamaica Observer that for years they have heard of plans to restore the cemetery to its former glory; however, no work has begun. The latest promise was made in 2016 when Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie, during a tour of the famous cemetery, said attention would be given to improving conditions there.

“Me hear like them did want to start some work, but I don’t know. You know how long me a hear dem say that? Years now. All the wall dem and the fence, dem things deh wah build up,” a worker who wished to remain unidentified said.

“Mi feel a way because the cemetery is for the people, and the cemetery should have water and light — worse a May Pen Cemetery. It ah the original cemetery. It shoulda look better because ah the Government responsible for it,” the worker continued.

Established in the 16th century, the cemetery is located between Horizon Adult Remand Centre on Spanish Town Road and Tivoli Gardens High School on Industrial Terrace, in west Kingston. It is one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in the region, spanning more than 200 acres, 130 acres of which is used to conduct burials.

In its early years May Pen Cemetery was the elite burial ground in Jamaica, with many famous people laid to rest there.

Among them is West Indies cricketer Oneil Gordon “Collie” Smith, who died at age 26 after a car accident in England in 1959; and trombonist and producer Don Drummond, one of the original members of the Skatalites who died in May 1969, aged 37.

In more recent times roots-reggae singer and songwriter Lacksley Castell, who died in November 1983, was buried there. So too Cecil Bustamente Campbell, better known as Prince Buster, regarded as the King of Ska and who died in Florida in September 2016.

Also buried there in a pauper’s grave is notorious criminal Vincent Ivanhoe Martin, who was known as Rhygin. He was shot dead by police in September 1948 at Lime Cay where he had fled after a deadly crime spree. He was 24.

Despite Martin’s propensity for extreme violence his life became mythologised in popular culture and was captured in The Harder They Come, the 1972 cult film in which he is portrayed by singer Jimmy Cliff.

Over the years the cemetery lost its status and now stands in a deplorable condition, with overgrown bushes covering the graves. Animals roam the grounds, homeless people seek shelter in old mausoleums, and garbage line the walkways. There have also been reports of people having difficulties locating their relatives’ graves due to the disorganised state of the cemetery.

“We frustrated! Nuff time we write them and tell them say we want light in the cemetery — because one time light, water everything did over yah — but me nuh know what a gwaan,” said another worker.

“The water system needs to be fixed, the road dem need to be fixed. As you see, the place needs to be cleaned — a whole heap a things need to be done. We not getting any water to mix the concrete; a road we affi go or sometimes the water truck come and full them two drum deh — but dem come when dem feel like,” the gravedigger added, pointing to two drums on the property.

The workers also complained that they are overworked, saying that currently only eight people tend to the 200 acres of land.

“We try to take care of the front because that is what we can do. We also try to clean the roadway dem; when the bush grow, we chop them and make it so the vehicles don’t get scrape up. But we are going to need tractor and dem thing deh fi go a the back,” another worker told the Sunday Observer.

They added that it is the relatives of the people buried at the cemetery who often have to clean the area around the graves to prevent them from being covered by bushes. Some family members, the workers said, have also spent $100,000 or more on extravagant headstones that protrude out of the ground so that the graves will not be lost under the foliage.

The renovation of the cemetery was to be conducted by a special committee chaired by Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) CEO Robert Hill.

Repeated efforts to contact Hill for a comment on April 5 were unsuccessful. The Sunday Observer then called the KSAMC and was told that Hill was on leave. We were instructed to speak with the caretaker for the cemetery, John Cornwall.

However, when Cornwall was contacted he said that he was given strict orders that he could not comment on any issues pertaining to the cemetery unless he had approval from Hill.

On April 11 the Sunday Observer eventually got in touch with Hill, who asked that we e-mail him our questions and said he would respond “within the next seven working days”.