EVENTIDE HOME FIRE VICTIMS HONOURED WITH NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE (MAY 20)
A forty-women guard of honour by the women of the Jamaica Fire Bridge, decorated the aisle leading to the Eventide Home Monument at the National Heroes Park last Wednesday morning (May 20), as dignitaries laid floral tributes to honour the memories of those who perished in the fire of May 20, 1987.
The inaugural National Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Eventide Home Fire Floral Tribute, which was held on the 46th anniversary of the tragedy, served as a reminder of the legacies and lives that were lost that morning. Within 10 minutes, just after 1:00am on May 20, 1980, more than 100 women lost their lives after the Myers Ward became engulfed in fire.
During his keynote address at the ceremony, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, emphasized on the importance of cementing the Eventide devastation history.
“This is a day of remembrance historical introduction of education, I look at some social media posting about Eventide home fire and in my response, many persons admitted that they genuinely had no knowledge of this disaster. This day of remembrance is an official opportunity, to expand awareness and to use the awareness to ensure that we never allow our vulnerable population to live or die in circumstances like that of the Eventide home”, he said.
“We will always cherish their memories and live the dream that they were never able to live” he added as he closed.
Out of one of the country’s most horrendous tragedies came renewed focus on the services and operations of homes for the aged. In 1985, the Vineyard Town Golden Age Home was built on a new site to replace Eventide under the leadership of the Honourable Edward Seaga. The Golden Age Home is the largest of its kind in the Caribbean and has capacity for 500 residents. It designed to prevent a repeat of history and to foster a communal environment where residents can interact with one another. Today, about 20 survivors of the Eventide fire reside there.