Attendees at the ceremonial farewell waved palm branches as the hearse with Pinas' body drove onto the F.D. Roosevelt Airport tarmac.
ST. EUSTATIUS--Statians bade farewell to the late Regilio Pinas, whose remains were flown off-island on Monday, April 25, via an SXM Airways aircraft.
Pinas passed away on Friday, April 1, en route to St. Maarten for medical attention. His death caused an outpouring of emotion on the island which resulted in a silent march on April 5 and sparked an investigation into the incident. His body had been at the Queen Beatrix Medical Centre morgue since his death.
The hearse on the F.D. Roosevelt Airport tarmac.
Colleagues of his wife from Gwendoline van Putten School (GvP), his fellow countrymen from Suriname, GvP School Board members and friends on the island went out with palm branches to pay their last respects.
Progressive Labour Party (PLP) Island Councilman Clyde van Putten and former commissioner Reginald Zandaam were in attendance. Attendees gave Pinas a ceremonial farewell as they walked behind the hearse. Those in attendance sang songs in English, Dutch and Sranan.
