Cemetry Bill 2024 Passes Into Law

A new law was recently passed in the Legislative assembly which updates the rules on how cemeteries on island should be licensed, managed and protected.

The Cemeteries Bill 2024 made its safe passage into law on 25 June sitting of Parliament at the Montserrat Cultural Centre in Little Bay.

All members present in the Legislative Assembly on the day voted unanimously in favour of the Bill.

On presenting the bill then, health minister Honourable Charles Kirnon said, if enacted, the law would update the Burial Grounds Act.

One of the major clauses of the bill is that the governor, acting on the advice of the Cabinet is responsible for licensing public or private cemeteries.

Mr Kirnon also says that no one can bury a body anywhere other than a licensed cemetery, meaning that one cannot just decide that one is going to bury a body wherever one feels like.

The minister for health added that a board will set up management to have control of the cemeteries, and there will be allotments of religious denomination.

The bill also spoke about procedures to close cemeteries, and said offenders would be liable for a fine of $5,000 for the exhumation, disturbance or removal of a body.

Anyone who breaks any of the other clauses is committing a summary offence and is liable to be slapped with a $2,000 fine, with a further $100 for each day the offence continues.