Dear Editor,
The insanitary conditions in the Suddie Police Station lock-ups are very inhumane for anyone incarcerated there; they are aggravated by bad treatment by the ranks.
My recent detention for almost 72 hours in relation to a traffic incident involving a pedestrian whilst driving my hire car along the Golden Fleece public road, was really a life threatening experience from a health point of view. It was no different for others confined with me; the deplorable conditions were responsible for an inmate from the NOC suffering a blackout, and only after he was taken outside did he regain consciousness.
There is an unbearable stench owing to the absence of toilets or a water facility with any call of nature having to take place on the floor.
From all appearances, the lock-ups are not being cleaned or fumigated, with the only concern of the police being to put you there. Obviously, some measure of discomfort is expected while being there, but not to the extent where these lock-ups are unfit for use, and those who end up there treated as less than human beings.
Even when a request is made for drinking water, none is provided, let alone for the purposes of a bath, brushing one’s teeth or just washing one’s face.
Anyone who is there for days runs the risk of contracting some kind of sickness, and public health officers should make regular inspections to ensure that the required health standards are not violated.
With my own eyes I saw water pouring down onto the lock-ups from the upper floor of the station building, and I think this was deliberately done by the ranks to quieten the NOC inmates, but in the end it only caused them to become even more infuriated.
The intervention of any organization interested in human rights violations would be appreciated.
Yours faithfully,
Actar Jay
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to Commissioner of Police (ag), Mr Leroy Brumell, for any comment he might wish to make.