The people of Bodden Town are getting the additional cemetery space that is needed for their community. The Cayman Islands government has purchased two parcels of land  — Block 43D and Parcels 8 & 75 — for CI$600,000 and applied to the CPA for planning consent to develop the property as a cemetery in that district.

Government has agreed to acquire two parcels totaling 4.55 acres of land on Bodden Town Road near Lake Destiny Drive. The land includes 0.8 acres on the ocean front and 3.75 acres on the land side. The plans are to construct 16 vaults immediately in the first phase on the landside and in total there is the potential to develop up to 924 vaults on the acquired land in three phases.

For several years, the Ministry of Finance, District Administration, Works, Lands and Agriculture have been looking to secure property for the purpose of extending the existing cemetery due to a severe shortage of burial plots in Bodden Town.

Premier and Minister responsible for Lands Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Minister Mark Scotland and Minister Dwayne Seymour are pleased that the Lands and Survey team have been able to negotiate a deal for the people of Bodden Town.

“We are pleased to expand the existing cemetery. Acquiring this land is a key step in addressing the concerns of the people in Bodden Town, who want to be buried close to family members who are already buried in the existing cemetery,” Premier and Minister responsible for Lands Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly said.

“The last thing we need our people to deal with when they are grieving is where they are going to bury family members. It has taken some time to get to this point, but I am happy that we have found a solution,” Ms O’Connor-Connolly stated.

“The two Bodden Town Cabinet Ministers Hon Mark Scotland and Hon Dwayne Seymour are very happy with this new acquisition for their district of Bodden Town,” the Premier added.

Minister Seymour said, “We are pleased to be the Government who have been able to get the funding for such a worthy project, especially in these hard financial times. The purchase of this land for the extension of the cemetery ensures that the people of Bodden Town will be able to continue to be buried close to their loves ones.”

Minister Scotland explained:  “What we have done by acquiring this site is to ensure that we continue to provide affordable burial plots for residents in Bodden Town.

“This is something we have said we were going to do and we have. We wanted to try and do it on existing government land but we weren’t able to achieve that,” he added.

Minister Seymour added: “It is definitely a proud moment for me as a Bodden Town representative. This was required for so long and former elected members didn’t think it was a priority, even after being warned about the lack of space at the site.

“I am happy to be one of the representatives who saw it necessary to get this done for the people of Bodden Town so their loved ones don’t have to be buried in Prospect.”