Cabinet considering major Addolorata Cemetery extension

Franco Farrugia

Oct 2nd 2009, 10:11

@ Mr Martinelli - May I give you some advice? Why not start a PN Section in Canada, wherever you live? Honestly, I think it would be beneficial for all of us, here, if you did.

Charles Grixti

Oct 2nd 2009, 04:18

@ Dr. James Cauchi

I do not know where you are getting your figures from but the opposite is quite true here in North America.

While a funeral burial can cost from $7,000 to $10,000 and upwards, cremation is but a small fraction of that cost. In fact, it is known as the poor man’s alternative.

The only 'cost' that I would worry about is the environmental one. Then, I am sure they can come up with a solar power crematorium. After all, solar power is used to melt steel in some parts of the world, so there is no question that it can be feasibly done.

Stupid idea to allocate more land to the dead when the living need it more. Where are the forward thinking leaders? But then again, the present system of burials is making hefty profits for some, selling graves on a timeshare basis. When their time is up, the dead are then tossed out into charnnel houses to make room for the new arrivals. I can never pay my respects at my grandparent's graves when I am in Malta, since there remains have been moved out a long time ago.

J Martinelli

Oct 1st 2009, 22:27

My observation about all these comments is that the same people who not long ago were complaining that there are not enough graves to bury the dead and labeled the situation as 'scandalous' are now complaining about the government's plans to increase the capacity to meet and exceed the demands!

Then there are others whose comments not only are not funny but indeed tasteless since we do not refer to elected officials of both sides of the House as 'zombies'.

Franco Farrugia

Oct 1st 2009, 20:55

@ Dr James Cauchi, as far as one's 'stupidity' goes, you should realise that cremation takes place everywhere in the world - so I see no reason why it should not take place in Malta for those who seek such a service, and pay for it.
And it also means giving a breather to the constant need of using up land, land, land, the little resource that we have left.
Ah! Now, I see your agenda - you want a plot and you haven't found one yet. Well, may I suggest you look elsewhere in Malta and you will surely find one in some quaint village cemetery as others did.

Joe Xuereb

Oct 1st 2009, 19:57

(2) Here in UK people do not seem to mind at all. In fact cemetries are treated very much like one would treat a park. People retreat there for a quiet read - a veritable oasis in the middle of the metropolis. And there are so many. Many also use them as short-cuts or to get from one district to another, on foot or on a bicycle. They are only people who were born into the world, lived their alloted time and then passed on. We are all on this sad but often exciting journey, with a lot of overlapping of people at either end.
Of course I was joking about the developer. So he can wipe that smirk off his mutt for starters.
Cremation is clean and hygienic. It requires hardly any upkeep. No maintenance. And no dangerous terrain where accidents happen and come to haunt you - pun intended - in this litigation-minded age. Besides, what is more undignified than being repeatedly exhumed. Carry on burying for the sake of what, one in 69000 burials? Gerrawd of it!!

Joe Xuereb

Oct 1st 2009, 19:36

( 1) John Falzon. Yes, I too can be funny when not putting the world to rights. Cheers!
I have not lived in Malta for half a century so I am not too familiar with the voting/electioneering system. Only partisanship. That was well in place before I left. It is only recently that I caught on to the fact that conniving Govts. offer sops (I almost said slops) to the electorate to ingratiate, detract from other issues, etc. Now I understand the General Election is 2/3 years away. That is a long time. Does this mean that we can expect more sops, ones getting soppier and soppier as the polling booths beckon ever nearer? And seeing that culturally we are so senitive to burial methods, corpses, respect of such, exhumation and so on, do the Maltese mind having their back garden, their 'bitha' backing onto the enclosing wall of a cemetry? cont./

Mick (Cut to the chase) Quinn

Oct 1st 2009, 18:26

Lets get things right here, it's the ideal place for the new "Piano" parliament building, it's government land, but I imagine some would complain about the comings and goings of zombies!!

Catherine Spiteri

Oct 1st 2009, 16:52

Cremation would solve all the problems. When are we going to think about it......or rather implement it.

A. Zahra

Oct 1st 2009, 15:34

@ Dusty Williams.
I agree with you 100%. All Governments should stop working after 2 years, because any thing they may do in years 3/4/&5 can be used for electoral purposes.

john caruana

Oct 1st 2009, 15:32

Nearly everyone seems in favour of cremation. Only Dr. Cauchi raised the subject of cost and i agree with that cremation is costly, more than one can imagine.
I could have my leg pulled but once someone told me that a private crematorium in Australia was thinking of moving to america as business was not making cremation a viable. If my memory serves me well i remember in junior school learning that Australia is slightly bigger than Malta

Franco Farrugia

Oct 1st 2009, 15:21

@ Chev. Galea - I suggest that you keep your sword on! Perhaps, those who die in debatable circustances would not be allowed to be cremated. But does it follow, in your wisdom, that all those that are buried, actually await exhumation? What percentage of burials are actually exhumed? Anyway, if you yourself want to be thus assured, write down in your will that you don't want cremation, that's all.

A.Sciberras

Oct 1st 2009, 15:20

What is wrong with you people. Why are you against the extension of the cemetery?Or do you prefer to continue seeing the piles of rubbish that have been dumped there (at the back) over the years.In a democracy , people have the right to be buried legally. Or would you prefer to have a block of flats built instead by the government to solve our "housing"problem.
There has been much critism lately about the state of the cemetery which I think is true. But to be fair, lately the massive resevoir has been cleaned and the lighting of the church facade has been restored. Well done to those involved

dusty williams

Oct 1st 2009, 14:58

Dr James Cauchi

Stupidity my left foot! cant you read!

2 years he said and in 2 /3 years time there will be an election my dear in case you live on another planet. Stupidity hahhh!

Joe Fenech

Oct 1st 2009, 14:53

Using precious land which we don't have W for the dead?: the dead are gone, past, ceased to be (to quote Python). One can commemorate them differently. Start cremating and basta!

Dr James Cauchi

Oct 1st 2009, 14:07

@ all

Does anyone have any idea of how costly cremation is ? I personally think it would run in the thousands of euro per person.

How have all you "experts" come to the conclusion that this is feasible ? And how did you come to the conclusion that this option was not considered ?

@ dusty

You comments are pure stupidty ... are you expecting a major project such as this to be ready in week ????

Why can't we look at things without political lenses ???? This is a good thing ... i have been trying to purchase a private tomb for over 3 years and none are available.

Anthony Formosa

Oct 1st 2009, 13:59

Why the Maltese citizens don't have the right to be cremated?

Claire Busuttil

Oct 1st 2009, 13:55

Cremation please!!

maquilina

Oct 1st 2009, 13:48

well said karl micallef. no one batted an eyelid on the fact that it should be aesthetically acceptable.

Ernest Vella

Oct 1st 2009, 13:39

Are the people commentging here serious...therefore if the election is in three years times the goverment must stop working?....if this is considered it means there is a need for it...lets not now play the role of the saints

John Falzon

Oct 1st 2009, 13:32

@Joe Xuereb

I just love your sense of humour in that part when you spoke about passing on part of the Addolorata to developers ! Hey wait a minute, you were joking weren't you ??

Stefan Sacco

Oct 1st 2009, 13:23

Bix- xokkijiet li qed jiehdu in nies bil kontijiet tad dawl u l-ilma dal progett ghandu jitpogga fil fast track !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ramon Casha

Oct 1st 2009, 13:20

Scrap this idea and allocate the resources to the creation of a crematorium.

D Delia

Oct 1st 2009, 13:04

The Cemetery is becoming too big for one thing. People are being let to buy private graves which are only used a few times in a lifetime and then forgotten. The old part of the Addolarata is full of such graves. All new graves should remain public property and for those who would not want to be buried in a common grave should have a crematorium facility and kept privately as they would have wished to. 9000 new graves is a hell of an expansion not to mention other cemeteries.

M Cremona

Oct 1st 2009, 13:03

Just what is so wrong as to wanting to have a family grave? There are some us who have been waiting for years to acquire one. By all means have a crematorium but let those who prefer to have a grave do so as well.

I have my father's remains(he was cremated in England) and my wish is to be buried alongside him when the time comes. In the meantime his ashes lie at my house awaiting the allocation of a grave in which to bury him . Till that time comes,it is unfinished business.

Carmel Saliba

Oct 1st 2009, 12:59

Why is the Cabinet considering a proposal to extend Addolorata Cemetery by a further 9,000 new graves?

If the answer is because there is a long list of applications for private graves in Malta, I accept this proposal but on the other hand those who applied for a private grave in the St Mary cemetery in Victoria Gozo, a Government cemetery, should be given a priority.

Over a year ago I, being one of the over 1000 applicants, was informed that soon the contract for my private grave will be done. I was given also the total cost of the grave together with the related expenses.

Till now the graves project, the cemetery extension, is still a nightmare. When inquiring about the project at the Department in Gozo the reply is - A Director from Malta stopped it. Why from Director from Malta stopped it when we Gozitan should be under the Ministry for Gozo?

I hope that I will be given an answer why the cemetery extension in Gozo was put on a shelf.

Kat Gauci

Oct 1st 2009, 12:54

wouldn't it make more sense to promote cremation?

Chev Chris Galea

Oct 1st 2009, 12:49

I still disagree about cremation, even though the Catholic Church approves of it (on condition of respecting the ashes left from cadavers).

The main reason I disagree about is that if further forensic examinations need to be carried out on the cause of death, and the cadaver has to be exhumed, obviously if the body has been destroyed, then there is not much to see. I have to SPEAK about this. This is a very serious matter. FORENSIC and INVESTGATIVE Department, please NOTE !

Paul Barrett

Oct 1st 2009, 12:48

I support the idea of cremation - I would rather that than be "chucked" in a hole in the rocks, left to rot and then at some future date "moved on" or whatever they do.
Big countries with tons of spare land have cremation, it really makes sense for Malta with (some 3,000 ?? deaths a year) and so little land space, to go along those lines.

Karl Micallef

Oct 1st 2009, 12:37

Whilst I believe that, given our limited land space, one should seriously be considering the possibility of having a crematorium rather than an extension to a cemetery, it should be emphasised that whatever extension is carried out should, at least, be done in an aesthetically-acceptable manner. The original Addolorata by architect Galizia is a wonderful example of Neo Gothic architecture and houses superb Neo Gothic, Neo Classic and Art Nouveau graves. The extension carried out a few years back is a mere disgrace compared to the beauty of the layout and design of the original, not to mention the level of danger in its accessibility. Should the proposed extension be carried out, I cannot but stress the importance of not creating an accretion but a complementary extension which does not jar with the Galizia cemetery.

Joe Xuereb

Oct 1st 2009, 12:19

Is this yet another sop? Why is cremation not being considered? And any land intended for the extension proposed can be given to a developer for a new block of flats. There is more money in that surely.
Last week we had the revival of hearsing. Now this. It is only dying for goodness' sake!

dusty williams

Oct 1st 2009, 12:19

Dawn ezatt ghal qabel lelezzjoni sur Dalli/ghal voti?

Qed taraw nies tal PN b'hekk biss jippruvaw jirbhu l elezzjoni. Din hija t-tattika taghhom!

Naghtik qabar u vvotali!

Edward Fenech

Oct 1st 2009, 12:19

In the middle of a major economic crisis and facing serious political problems this is what the cabinet is discussing...WOW! What was the name of that John Bundy song?

Franco Farrugia

Oct 1st 2009, 12:09

Rather than committing further precious land for cemeteries, wouldn't it a much better idea, dear Ministers, to focus on CREMATION? It has been going on for many years abroad, - and by the way, if you're afraid of raising the shackles of the RCC, please be aware that even the Church condones / tolerates it.

D. A . Agius

Oct 1st 2009, 12:08

Yes, let's waste some more land...

In a country as small as ours we should not be wasting space to increase cemeteries, but rather government should plan to start offering cremation!

Also, what's happening to the graves of families who have perished and have no more descendants? Look to the future and tell us what will happen in 20 years time!