Rock Gutter victim’s mom objects to CD honouring victims

The mother of one of the Rock Gutter victims is not in favour of the poetry/music CD that was recently released to honour their memory – insisting that it is “contrary and conflicting” and against her spiritual beliefs.

SEARCHLIGHT reported last Tuesday that Martin Quashie and Glenroy “Homie” Delpeche had launched the poetry/music CD ‘Voices From Beyond The Grave,’ with the intent to put all funds generated towards a monument at the accident site in Owia.{{more}}

Gloridene Hoyte-John, the mother of Glenroy Michael, who perished in the January 12, 2015 tragedy, said although she is the only parent who was not happy with the CD, she felt compelled to voice her objection to Quashie, but was displeased by his response to her concerns.

“I applaud Mr Quashie and Homie’s effort, but the poem/CD is conflicting, contrary and not in sync with my personal and spiritual beliefs… I would like it to be known that I’m not part of the CD,” she asserted.

Hoyte-John said that when she complained to Quashie, he was dismissive, and informed her that that was just her opinion, not fact.

In part of the poem/song, it states that the children who died at Rock Gutter are feeling sad and frustrated, looking back on their lives and the achievements they had set out for themselves.

“I don’t believe there is life after death… Nobody can think beyond the grave,” she pointed out.

“At one point he is saying they are safe in God’s hands and then he’s coming back and saying they are feeling frustrated and angry and sad. You can’t be frustrated and angry and sad when you are with God.”

Another line in the poem reads: “Although I was trying very hard to achieve my goals by any means necessary” – something Hoyte-John also objected to.

“By any means necessary could mean thief, kill etc.”

She explained: “As a Christian, I can’t be an example to other people and then they see I’m sending out this message, and then I am saying something else. It’s just contrary.”

When SEARCHLIGHT contacted Quashie, he insisted that Hoyte-John is “lost completely” when it comes to poetry, and is misinterpreting the piece, because she doesn’t get the concept of artistic licence.

“Even people meet me in the street and congratulate me, saying that is a wicked piece of work there,” he added.

“She [Hoyte-John] criticize every single line I put in the poem. Who are you to critique my work when you know nothing about poetry?”

Quashie also said that he and Delpeche went ahead with the project because the other parents approved the CD, including Glenroy Michael’s father, who is a police officer in Antigua and Barbuda.

“I didn’t really want to be involved with her, but the other parents gave consent to go forward because it’s just one person giving negative vibes.”

He also said that when he first presented the CD to the parents to listen to, they were moved to tears, because they said it felt as though the writer had been there with the victims on the day of the accident.

Quashie also reiterated that all the profits from the CD will go towards building a monument at the accident site; or if the Government foots the entire cost, it will go towards the victims’ parents.

Seven schoolchildren were killed on January 12, 2015, when the bus they were travelling in overturned and plunged over a cliff at Rock Gutter, Fancy. (JSV)