Relatives of murder victims in Tobago have raised concerns about the distress caused by the use of a container outside the Scarborough General Hospital Mortuary, where bodies are being moved in plain sight of people.
The container was initially brought during the COVID-19 pandemic to handle the increase in deaths.
The 20-foot container morgue, which cost $100,000, can hold up to 45 bodies. It was placed just outside the main entrance, taking up some spaces in the mortuary’s parking lot.
On Monday, a relative of Sarah Smith and her two children, who were found dead in Parlatuvier, complained that, although the bodies were covered, people waiting outside could clearly see them as the bodies were being moved from the container to the examination room. Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, Paul Brown, the father of the children, described the experience as deeply unsettling. He vented that after the autopsies, he was left shaken after seeing the bodies being taken back outside for storage in the container with blood-stained coverings for all to see.
He said, “I was shocked, but I say that is how they probably do things in Tobago.”
Another relative, who didn’t want to be named, spoke of the unbearable odour coming from the container when it was opened.
A senior Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) official, when contacted, explained that the container serves as a backup in case the mortuary’s refrigerated drawers fail.
The TRHA official said the use of the container follows international best practices.
The official said, “It’s not like there is a (fixed) decision to use the container. It is used when necessary…There is no violation there (of best practices and international standards) the container meets the requirements for storage...and accessibility meaning no one can walk in and out of the container. It meets the requirements for the standard for storing bodies.
“But, I agree there should not have been people along the path when bodies are being moved where they should come into contact or view.”
In total, the hospital’s mortuary has seven drawers. Up to Monday, there were seven murder victims awaiting post-mortem examinations. Guardian Media understands this backlog has since been cleared.
The THA’s Health, Wellness and Social Protection Secretary Dr Faith BYisrael couldn’t be reached for comment.