On New Year's Eve, Michelle Swasey gave a sad, moving interview. She was talking about her son James Staine who killed himself after shooting his common law wife Keena Williams in front of their child.
She's burying him tomorrow - but today her worries multiplied as she tried to make burial arrangements for her son. She wants to bury him in the same vault as his father, Leslie Staine who died 16 years ago. She made arrangements with undertaker, David Coye - but as of January first, many of the services he provides are now left to the City Council.
She told us about all the confusion the sudden change has caused:..
Michelle Swasey, mother of James Staine Sr.
"I went to City council this morning. Before I went and pay $25 for research because the grave that my son is going in his father was buried there for 16 years. Now I went to City Council this morning and they charged me $150, I have the receipt right here. They didn't tell me that I have to pay whatever and they will do it, they didn't tell me anything. Now I got a call from Mr. Coye because he has started the process because my son will be buried tomorrow - now they stop them. I don't know what they stop them for. I am waiting for Mr. Coye to come to find out what is going on."
"I am tired of this. My son already killed himself and then I have to go through this, no man! If they wanted me to pay something they could have told me and I could have given them the money instead of paying it to Coye. I want Mr. Coye to fix the tomb so I can bury my son tomorrow."
Monica Bodden
"Because now it's the council's responsibility."
Michelle Swasey, mother of James Staine Sr.
"So why didn't they tell me that this morning and collect the money from me this morning because I was there. They could have collected the money from me because I had it in my hand but they didn't say anything."
Monica Bodden
"You son is getting prepared to be buried when?"
Michelle Swasey, mother of James Staine Sr.
"Tomorrow is the burial. Funeral services at 2pm at Queen Street Baptist. So now when my son comes out where will I put him? I can't stop anything, everything is already planned."
Monica Bodden
"What is the council saying now?"
Michelle Swasey, mother of James Staine Sr.
"I didn't get anything. They are just standing there saying nothing. They must stand here all night and watch the people do nothing. If I have to come and cement it myself then I will do it because i don't have money to pay City Council again. The money I got was help from people because I don't have it. I am very angry and maybe I may say things that I am not supposed to say but that's the way I feel right now. This is stupidness, they should have told me that this morning."
Monica Bodden
"When you went there you went to pay for something else?"
Michelle Swasey, mother of James Staine Sr.
"Usually its only $100, they charged me $150 and this is to use the same grave spot. It used to be $75, and then it went $100 and now it's $150."
As we understand it form an article in today's Amandala undertaker David Coye holds the position that the Council's New Fees are not the law because Cabinet first has to approve them.
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