Glen residents alarmed by presence of surveyors in area

The appearance of surveyors taking measurements on a piece of land at Glen which was once used as a cemetery panicked a few residents of the small community on Monday.

The residents became worried about what they thought were plans by the Government to divide the land into house lots.

A woman living close to the land told SEARCHLIGHT, under the condition of anonymity, that on Monday, {{more}}when she saw the surveyors, she and others were alarmed, as digging up a cemetery is not a good thing.

She said that rumours began making the rounds that sick persons had been buried there, which seemed like a health threat, while other persons were worried about the supernatural aspect of digging up a cemetery.

While no digging or clearing of the land has started, another resident who has been living in the area for 31 years said she would oppose any plan to sell the land as housing plots, as she knows a number of persons who were buried there.

She said the area is sometimes referred to as “Paupers’ Graveyard,” as the persons buried there died while resident at the Lewis Punnett Home (a home for the indigent elderly) or the mental hospital and had no family members.

A young lady from the area said that a few months ago, she began clearing the area to build a house and she was stopped by the authorities. She said that she had nowhere to live and decided to squat, but that idea was short-lived.

“I have no problem living there. I don’t study dead and them thing,” said the resident, who also refused to give her name. She said that if she is given the chance, she would live on the land.

A male in the area stressed that he is very superstitious and would never live on a parcel of land used for the purpose of a cemetery.

“I find that disrespectful to the dead, plus sick people been buried there. I don’t like that at all,” said the youngster, who also asked to remain anonymous, so as not to offend anyone.

When contacted on Thursday, an official from the Land and Surveys Department said that they did visit the site on Monday, but that was done to carry out some checks.

“People can rest assured that nothing will be done there. It’s going to stay like that,” he said.(LC)