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Nettleford to get official funeral |
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LATE vice-chancellor emeritus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Rex Nettleford, is to be accorded an Official Funeral on Tuesday February 16 at the University Chapel in Mona, Kingston.
 Prof Rex Nettleford Arrangements are being made to accommodate 500 mourners inside the chapel and another 1,500 in air-conditioned tents for the two-hour service which is expected to begin at 10:00 am.
Professor Barry Chevannes, chair of the planning committee for the service, said every effort will be made to keep the service within the two-hour limit.
"Professor Nettleford would not have wanted a long drawn out funeral," Chevannes told journalists at a press briefing held at the university yesterday.
Arrangements have also been made to suspend classes during the service to allow for ample parking.
Nettleford's body has already been cremated but his ashes will be flown back to Jamaica shortly.
William Iton, university registrar, said a portion of the ashes will be retained by the university while the remainder will be given to his relatives.
Culture Minister Olivia 'Babsy 'Grange said the Government will be footing the cost of the funeral service as well as a 'nine night' to be held at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in Kingston on Thursday, February 11.
The venue, she said, will be transformed into a traditional 'nine night' setting, showcasing various forms of cultural expressions.
Meanwhile, Leader of Government Business in the House of Representative Andrew Holness said Parliament will suspend regular business on the day of the funeral to allow former prime ministers Edward Seaga and P J Patterson, as well as former chancellor Sir Shridath Ramphal and Chancellor Sir George Alleyne to pay tributes to Nettleford.
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