Scores of villagers of rural Talparo and Brazil yesterday turned out for the funeral of 16-year-old Rachel "Slims" Ramkissoon.
The teen, a Fourth Form pupil of Northeastern College was found strangled in a forested area in Balata Trace, Arena last Friday.
She had missed her bus to school and police suspect she took a taxi and was later strangled and dumped.
Following her funeral service yesterday, there was a procession to the cemetery which saw the villagers, dressed in red, Ramkissoon’s favourite colour, walking in solidarity with her relatives.
Those who did not take part in the procession stood outside their homes.
Children at the nearby St Dominic’s RC School held signs as the procession made its way to the cemetery. Some of the signs read: “She is my sister” “Stop the Violence” and “Justice is Needed” and “Stop the Innocent Killing”.
Those in the procession either had flowers in hand or wore t-shirts with Ramkissoon’s face printed on it and the words “#Justice_for_Rachel”.
President Anthony Carmona was one of the many mourners as well as MP for the area Maxie Cuffie, comedian and politician Errol Fabien and temporary independent senator Nikoli Edwards.
Ramkissoon’s casket was placed in a glass and wooden carriage during the procession. As the procession moved along men, women and children were seen crying, some had to be held up by other mourners.
At the church one mourner identified only as “Patricia” described the person/persons responsible for ending Ramkissoon’s life as “the dirt in the toenail of Satan”.
She said that when the person/people ever decide to seek God’s forgiveness, there will be none, this statement evoked the most response from the congregation who applauded the statement.
Junior pastor Roger Holder, in response said, that if the killer/killers, with a contrite heart and broken spirit seek forgiveness, then God will forgive them.
Holder stated: “It was a vicious act by the perpetrator but let us not harbour vengeance but justice. We as a people have a responsibility to help nurture those around us to be model citizens.”
In his homily Senior Jason Bachew said as a father of a 15-year-old daughter himself he could not fathom what Ramkissoon’s parents were going through. He added that as a community justice is being demanded. He admonished Cuffie and President Carmona to “execute judgement” on those who not only killed Ramkissoon but other criminals.
“Your death was not in vain it was too soon buy not in vain” Bachew said as he thanked Ramkissoon for leaving a good example for her peers and siblings to follow.
Cuffie said he did not know Ramkissoon or her family but knew of other people who suffered as well and some who worked hard and studied so they can bring their family out of poverty as Ramkissoon had hoped in her pursuit of becoming an attorney.
Cuffie said that those gathered should celebrate and not mourn knowing that Ramkissoon was dedicated.
“Someone failed to live the life of a brother. There was failure on the part of the mother and father to guide the person (who killed Ramkissoon). Failure by the community to help guide and support him (the killer). Her death should remind us that we have a role to play to fashion the world we want. We can start with Talparo Trace the Brazil Village, and La Horquetta/Talparo and by extension the country,” Cuffie said.