Shock, surprise as burial ground dating over 200-years old shows at No.71 beach

Social media was abuzz earlier on Friday after a video surfaced online showing what appeared to be age-old wooden coffins and skeletal remains that were washed ashore on the No. 71 beach in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The strange and bizarre occurrence has left lingering questions as to who the remains belonged to and what they were doing there.

Regional Commander Jairam Ramlakhan relayed that there were no reports of the occurrence but immediately dispatched ranks to the location to investigate. He disclosed that when the ranks arrived and scoured the location just after noon Friday, there were no coffins or remains in sight. This, he said, was due to the high tide and water had already “washed up” at the beach.

Narendra Ramsammy, 43, of No.70 Village, Upper Corentyne, Berbice said that he has lived in the area all his life.

“As a little boy we use to see the coffins and skeleton head and (we used to) play with the skeleton head and so.”

He said that his grandparents had told him that the coffins and remains were buried at the location since the1800’s and that they were likely Indian indentured labourers.

“That is an old burial ground that was there but because of all the years that passed, the dirt wash away and the coffins and so does show up when the water gone out daily”, Ramsammy said.

He disclosed that the location can been easily access from the No.73 dam or the No.69-70 dam.

Ramsammy stated that there appeared to have been over 20 coffins with remains that were buried but that “it was just a plot of land that was used to bury the people and with all the years that pass, you know the water does wash up and gone out back so sometimes you does just see the coffin box with sand inside and some bones nearby.”

He said that he doesn’t believe it was ever reported to the police but that it doesn’t bother him or other residents who are aware of it.