Government agencies urged to pay special attention to Fancy community

The students who survived the Rock Gutter tragedy and the family members of those who perished can depend on the various Government ministries to assist them with whatever needs they may have.

On Tuesday, persons gathered at the Fancy Playing Field to remember the seven children who lost their lives on January 12, 2015 and during his tribute, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said that he wants the Ministries of Education, Health and Social Development, as well as the various teachers and persons in authority to keep a close eye on the children who have survived and the families of the deceased seven.

He stressed that although a year has passed, the families of the deceased and the children who survived are still in pain and we must not assume that normalcy has returned. The Prime Minister also pleaded with persons who are in positions to monitor and to pay attention, while urging the community to make the requisite demands and pleas to help in the process.

“…you are in my heart and soul and being and I think of you and I want you to know I love you very much and I pledge to continue to do everything it is possible for me to do as a Prime Minister, but more importantly as a human being to help in this process of healing.”

Gonsalves revealed that the music group from his office who made a compilation of songs to raise money for the survivors of the tragedy have made EC$4,000 and will soon be in communication with persons in the community as to how the money can be properly utilized.

Also on Tuesday, the Prime Minister met with a delegate from the United Arab Emirates and that person enquired about helping those affected by the disaster.

During his tribute, Gonsalves stressed, “Today, one year later, is an occasion for remembrance, a staging post for continued healing and for stocktaking. It is called a memorial service and not a parliamentary service to discuss public policy.

“It is a memorial service because we are addressing first of all memory and remembrance and remembrance is linked to healing. Remembrance possesses several complications and there are contradictions in it as we moved to the process of healing. We have to get on with our lives but we can’t get on with our lives until we remember properly so that we can heal,” said Gonsalves.

He said that he is aware that the pain and the suffering are still raw and therefore persons must be close to one another and look out for one another, “to add strength and solidarity so that we can heal better.”

Gonsalves noted that as a Christian society, one important way in which we heal is to be in communion with God and to pray.

“Loving father, the sleep of death has robbed us of our sweet children. Thank you for their short life with us and for holy baptism that confirms our hope in you and promises a fond reunion in the hearts of our blessed saviour who is our resurrection and our life through all eternity…father in heaven, your son Jesus Chris wept at the grave of Lazarus, show your compassion to those who mourn, supply their needs and help them to trust forever in your fatherly care,” said Gonsalves in his prayers and tribute.

He said that even Jesus, during his excruciating hours on the cross, gradually fell into great desolation and dereliction and finally called out to his father. So persons, when they feel entirely alone or abandoned by other human beings or feel that they do not have enough resources, they too can call out to God.

The Prime Minister also quoted a poem by Robert Herrick called ‘In the time of distress’ which goes, “in the hour of my distress when temptations me oppress and when I my sins confess, sweet spirit, comfort me; when I lie within my bed sick in heart and sick in head and with bouts discomforted, sweet spirit, comfort me. When the tapers now burn blue and the comforters are few and that number more than true, sweet spirit, comfort me. When the judgement is revealed and that opened which was sealed when to thee I have appealed, sweet spirit, comfort me.

He stressed that we must always keep the Rock Gutter children in our memory.(LC)