7 News Belize

Ghost’s Funeral: He Had a Gaza Style 21 Gun Salute
posted (January 14, 2013)
Yesterday the Meyers family held the funeral for Leonard Ghost Meyers in the place he grew up and called home, Gales Point, Manatee. Meyers was the most senior George Street personality to be killed in last Tuesday's massacre - he was considered the right hand man of Gang boss Gerald Shiny Tillett. And that's why there was a lot of buzz surrounding the funeral; people wanted to know would the police harass the busses of funeral goers? Would there be a showdown between the GSU and funeral-goers? And would there be violence? Monica Bodden went to the funeral to get answers to all those questions - here's her report:..

Monica Bodden reporting
The body of Leonard Ghost Meyers was transported one last time through the only street in Gales Point Manatee-the village he grew up in and referred to as his home.

Behind his purple jeep laid his coffin - neatly trimmed in red and black - the colors representing the George Street Gang men who escorted his body inside the village church - were also decked out in the gang affiliated colors - Even the wreaths on the coffin where decorated with red, black and white.

Inside the small church where his funeral sermon was given - only Meyers' close relatives and friends could fit.

His other family members, friends and George Street loyalists all stood outside in the churchyard or on the street - The procession to the village cemetery took place directly after. It was led by Meyer's family, followed by the alleged George Street boss, Gerald "Shiny" Tillett, Meyers' close friend and also his gang brother.

While at the cemetery the emotional Shiney Tillett stood at the frontline as he took one last look inside the casket of his fallen soldier. Meyers 84 year old grandfather -who is the oldest JP of the village and the man who tried to show Meyers the right path in life, shoved through the massive crowd with a certificate in his hand.

That certificate was given to Meyers years ago while attending primary school in Gales Point Manatee. He was awarded the school's most outstanding academic student.

The piece of paper was placed inside his casket and buried 6 feet underground with him - But will always be a reminder of his potential to his grandfather and many others.

And after the body of Ghost was laid to rest, there was a Gaza-style 21 gun salute - sending off the George Street General in full honors.

And while these mourners were trying to cope with putting their loved one to rest, in their minds they were still dealing with the possibility of being harassed by the police on their way back to Belize City - as they have dealt with many times before while attending funeral's for gang members.

But that wasn't the case yesterday. Absolutely no police officers were deployed to the village. Nor were there any searches conducted on the 5 buses that transported the funeral goers to and from the village.

And if you're unclear about what we called the Gaza Style 21 gun salute, it was an informal, improvised firing of weapons - not 21 guns per se, but certainly about 21 shots fired into the air.

There's only one funeral remaining for the four, and that is for Albert Fuentes known as long John, who though he was only 19, was considered to be of some seniority in the George Street ranks.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize