The father of actor and singer Roger Tirazona had one final wish before he died – to be cremated and have his remains sent to the Philippines – a wish his family could not honour because Malta keeps waiting to build its first crematorium.

Tirazona, who is also a visiting university lecturer, said his family was unable to fulfil his father’s wish due to the advanced stage of decomposition and the associated logistical challenges, compounded by the emotional strain of grief they were going through.

Since Malta legalised cremation but still has no crematorium, it was very difficult to transport the body to the nearest crematorium in Sicily and “the wishes of a dying man couldn’t be honoured”, his son said.

“His body was interred in a state grave where his remains will be removed eventually and lost forever,” he wrote.

“I always believed that politics was there to serve the people and their existential concerns as well. What could be more existential than honouring a man’s life and death in a dignified way?”

Died in his sleep

Roger Tirazona Senior died on January 11. Speaking to Times of Malta, Tirazona said his father died at home in his sleep, “covered by a blanket and his body stayed in that circumstance for quite some time” before he found him.

Since he was in an advanced state of decomposition, the mortuary staff did not even use the burial clothes the family provided – a traditional Filipino outfit called ‘Barong Tagalog’.

“We were not allowed to open the sealed casket due to rapidly advancing decomposition. I doubt that in these circumstances, flying the corpse to Sicily would have been practical, or respectful, to be honest,” he said.

The family’s experience is not unique. Many have faced similar challenges in recent years, as the country’s only option for cremation has been to send remains overseas. This process can be both costly and emotionally taxing for grieving families.

Despite the law legalising cremation in Malta being passed in 2019, progress towards building a domestic crematorium has been slow. While several applications have been submitted, planning and environmental concerns have hindered the process.

It’s incredible that this service exists for deceased pets but not for humans

Local funeral directors and advocates have called on the government to prioritise the establishment of a crematorium, citing the growing demand for this service and the environmental benefits it offers. They argue that a local facility would not only provide families with a more convenient and affordable option but also reduce the need for overseas transportation.

“I cannot for the life of me fathom why this is the case, in 2024. Cremation is a fundamental civic service, that should be encouraged and subsidised by the government for environmental reasons, apart from meaningful existential reasons for the Maltese population,” Tirazona said.

“It is incredible that this service exists for our deceased pets, but not for humans who opt for it.”

Even worse, the grief and trauma of losing his father overwhelmed him, making it difficult to handle practical matters, he admitted. If cremation were a straightforward option, he could have honoured his father’s wishes without the added stress of arranging transportation to Sicily.

“Not to mention that had we taken him to Siciliy, it would have made the burial tremendously more expensive. Such service should be accessible to people of all means and should not be setting people behind around €5,000 in airline charges and other expenses,” he said.

“It is far better and more practical than a burial in overly saturated state-owned graves – and with a growing population, how long will these last?”

Questions were sent to the health ministry.

Since Malta legalised cremation in 2019, there was a significant increase in the number of people who began to consider this new burial option for themselves or their relatives.

The law not only introduced a burial alternative, but also allows people the flexibility to decide what to do with the ashes. It specifies that each crematorium has a mortuary, a viewing room, adequate facilities for the extraction of implants from the body, a cremation room and a storage room for remains.