Once again, St. Thomas is outgrowing its cemetery space and the V.I. government is looking for more land.
Wayne Callwood, acting commissioner of Public Works, said "we have plans already drawn up" for a cemetery on a seven- to nine-acre site, but so far no place to build.
The plan came about a year ago when the government was negotiating for a parcel of privately held land in Smith Bay across from the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort. The deal fell through largely because of questions about title, Callwood said.
Now the department is considering government-owned land controlled by the Housing Finance Authority and by Housing, Parks and Recreation. One potential site is in Estate Nazareth where temporary housing was erected after Hurricane Marilyn, Callwood said. Another is near the Bovoni Housing Community.
The issue became public this week when Sen. Norma Pickard-Samuel released a letter to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull saying she believes "Western Cemetery III" — the only section of the public cemetery still with unreserved space — will be filled by March.
She cited a "groundswell of concern regarding the impending crisis," and said, "Accordingly, I respectfully ask your urgent action to interrupt the furtherance of this probable crisis."
Joseph Ricardo Percival, supervisor for public cemeteries, said about 40 gravesites are still available in Western Cemetery III. He estimated the average number of burials monthly at 10 to 20. Not all go into Cemetery III, the newest section. About 300 sites are reserved in Cemeteries I and II.
The government acquired the land for Cemetery III, just west of the original downtown cemetery, a few years ago. Callwood said about one-fourth of the property is not suitable for gravesites because the water table is too high and there is poor drainage. Additionally, some utility lines run through part of it.
He is looking for another site that will take care of the island's needs for another 20 years. The design in hand includes a chapel, access road and two sections: one for the general public and one for veterans.
Callwood estimated the cost to build the cemetery at between $500,000 and $1 million. If the government has to purchase land, it will cost "probably $500,000 more."
"We need it, like, yesterday," Callwood said.
Government House Chief Legal Counsel Paul Giminez said in a statement late Friday that Turnbull had submitted an appropriation request for a cemetery to the 23rd Legislature, but its adjournment sine die left the request in limbo.
"We are in the process of preparing a new appropriation to be submitted to the Legislature" with an eye toward acquiring a suitable property, Giminez said in the statement.
Meanwhile, Callwood said the department is encouraging families who have the property to develop their own family cemeteries. Public Works will do the surveying for them and help with drawings — "whatever it takes" — all for free.
