Dear Editor,
I read with interest the concerns raised over the conditions of the female lock-ups at the East La Penitence Police Station. In addition to the many individuals, organizations and even political parties who voiced their concerns over the matter I think magistrates and even the officers who are in charge of that facility should be concerned. I am certain that most if not all the magistrates have read about the inhumane conditions that exist there, so I am at a loss as to why more of them have not sought to verify the accounts, or have a first-hand look at the conditions so as to make a pronouncement. Having confirmed as true what has been published thus far, they would be in a better position to rule on remanding a female and having them placed there, while at the same time voicing their concern over the situation.
The officers who are stationed there or who are working at that facility should protest (not on the streets) about the conditions, because should an epidemic break out they also would be affected. How can any sane thinking person can be comfortable seeing human beings sleeping on bare concrete floors? I can recall when the question about the condition of the Brickdam lock-ups was raised a certain minister of the government asked whether persons wanted the Brickdam lock-ups to be like a five-star hotel. That minister has to be forgiven for making such remarks, because judging from so many of his statements one would have to believe that the minister is really out of touch with reality, and is therefore living in a fantasy world.
We ought not to forget that persons in the lock-ups have not yet been tried and found guilty in a court of law, and we might be surprised to know how many innocent persons are incarcerated there. I quite agree with Ms Chandarpal that there must be acceptable conditions in place at such facilities and there should be some semblance of basic amenities.
Lastly, if a mini-bus is registered to carry 15 persons and the driver/operator is caught by the police transporting more than that, then that driver/operator is charged. Similarly, lock-ups were constructed to accommodate a specific number of persons, so to place more people in the lock-ups than it was built to accommodate is like doing what the mini-bus drivers do, so the person(s) responsible for permitting the overcrowding should be held accountable.
Yours faithfully,
Colin Gill
