Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 12, 2017 News
“Tragic” and “inhumane” were adjectives used by Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence, to describe the demise of the two elderly women who were just over a week ago beaten, bound and murdered in their Albert Street, South Road, Bourda home.
Minister Lawrence’s comments on the daunting state of affairs were forthcoming as she delivered a tribute at the funeral service for Constance Fraser, 88, and her niece Phyllis Carter, 75. Interestingly enough, the home-going ceremony for the two murdered women was held the same day that their alleged killers appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The funeral service was held at the South Road Full Gospel Church.
In her touching tribute, Minister Lawrence underscored that while, “death is the inevitable aspect of our earthly sojourn that we all as human beings are destined to experience some day or the other, irrespective of age, class or creed, when one’s life is tragically and inhumanely snuffed out as was the fate of our two elderly sisters in Christ… this experience leaves us in a state of inconsolable grief and even instances of uncontrollable anger.”
Speaking directly to the family of the departed, Minister Lawrence who not only represented her Ministry but the Government as a whole, expressed hope that “the Omnipotent and the Omniscient would strengthen you the bereaved family and bring peace and solace to your sorrowing hearts.”
Reminiscing on the elder of the two deceased, Minister Lawrence disclosed that “Ms. Fraser was an ardent supporter of the Party who made an invaluable contribution and it is regrettable that such a fine spirit should suffer such a brutal end.”
“I was deeply saddened when I heard of the tragic demise of these two elderly ladies, particularly because the Month dedicated to honouring and celebrating the elderly in our society had just been launched, and the sordid reminder of the inescapable reality that two more of our women folk had succumbed to the violence of unscrupulous perpetrators,” Minister Lawrence lamented.
This year’s theme for the Month of the Elderly: ‘Stepping into the future: Tapping the talents, contributions and participation of older persons in society’ would be meaningless, Minister Lawrence said, “If we pursue this trend of dehumanising and eliminating our elderly from among us.”
She moreover added, “sisters and brothers, our elderly are the precious and valuable treasures of our society which too many of us fail to appreciate. Too often, we turn a blind and disrespectful eye to their needs and wants and more recently, they too have become victims of blatant abuse and violence. The lack of respect and the disdain with which our women are held are rife in our society. It’s as though we have grown callous and trample on our brother’s or sister’s rights without any care or concern.”
As such Minister Lawrence in an earnest plea said, “I wish…even as we bid farewell to our two Christian stalwarts that we as a people begin to replace violence with peace; value the contribution of the elderly and strengthen the bond of love and affection which seem to have disappeared from among us.”
As she solemnly delivered her tribute, the Minister plugged the importance of family prayers and in doing so explained how it can in fact help to nurture respect and value for each other’s life. “Let’s make an effort to pray together and kindle that warmth and affection through God’s grace so that our love for our women folk, our elderly can emanate from within our homes and radiate into the wider society,” she stressed.
The funeral service was attended by a number of public officials and a number of other individuals, some of whom, even up to yesterday, seem incapable of comprehending the manner in which the two women left for the great beyond.
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