By TAMARA McKENZIE, Guardian Senior Reporter

tamara@naguard.com

Many Biminites returned to work and the classroom on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a slow and bitter healing process, following the burial of seven of the 11 victims that perished on board Chalk's flight 101 on Dec. 19.

Throughout the New Year's weekend, home going services were held for Sophia and Bethany Sherman; Sabrina, Barto and Sabre'a Dean and Donald Smith and his grandchild Jervis Stuart. The remaining bodies of Jacqueline Stuart-Levarity and her daughter Niesha Fox will be buried on January 6th and sisters Salome Rolle and Genevieve Ellis will be buried on January 7th. Services will be held at The Holy Name Catholic Church in Alice Town. Carolyn Burke, a U.S. resident that resided in Bimini, was buried last week in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chief Councillor of Bimini, Tasha-Bullard Rolle, told The Guardian that family members and friends of the victims are still in mourning, but the island has somewhat return to normalcy.

"Even though we have buried seven, we are still in a somber mood and we are still making preparations for the other four victims to be laid to rest on Friday and Saturday. For the most part, The Holy Name Catholic School and the public school has re-opened and people have resumed work," Mrs Bullard-Rolle said.

"It is hard, but we are pressing and only God is going to be able to take us through this. We are just taking things one step at a time. It will be a long process, but we will get through [it]."

The Gateway Christian Academy where Mrs Sophia Sherman was employed as a K-3 teacher, re-opens tomorrow. The Bimini Chief Councillor also confirmed that Genie Munroe, a representative from Chalk's Ocean Airways in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida has so far attended all of the funerals held.

But even though residents have return to the workplace, Mrs Bullard-Rolle said they are still "going through the motions" and their minds are not fully engaged, as the tragedy still looms.

"It is going to take some time and it is still very hard. Now that we are back to work and the holidays are over, we expected to see those people [that died] in the workplace and in schools and on the streets, but they are not there," said a soft-spoken Mrs Bullard-Rolle.

Mrs Bullard-Rolle claimed that since the ill-fated crash, there has not been much counselling from the government's mental health team but local pastors have offered their assistance. "It is my understanding that it [counselling] will resume, but there is no one here on the ground now that is actively conducting any counselling. She added that children on the island are still impacted by the crash and many of them have been asking many questions about those that perished. The Chief Councillor further stated that since the Dec. 19th crash, there is much apprehension from residents when it comes to flying.

Meanwhile, the investigation into what caused the fatal crash of Chalk's flight 101 is ongoing. The Federal Aviation Administration announced that it was considering issuing mandatory inspections of all G-73 airplanes, the same type of craft as the Chalk's seaplanes, which remains grounded for inspection. Meanwhile, Assistant General Manager at Chalk's Ocean Airways, Clint Williams, told The Guardian Tuesday, that the airline would resume operations sometime this month, but he could not give an exact date.