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From Putrid “Pisshouse” to Civil Cell Block
posted (March 18, 2019)

At the end of January, Police Corporal Darrell Tutsi Usher made national headlines when he posted pictures of the abominable conditions at the eastern division police station's cell block. It's the country's largest police station - and inside was nothing nice! Well, less than two months later, those repulsive conditions are just a fast fading memory. That's because the police senior command put in major work and money to refurbish the place known as pisshouse. As we found out today, you can't call it that anymore:

Jules Vasquez reporting:

A jail is rarely something to celebrate- those steel doors and thick bolts. But the new Queen Street Police Station Cellblock aspires to be a civil space where these rules, laws and guidelines greet every prisoner and custodian. They lay out the prisoners' rights and the expectations of the police.

Chester Williams- Commissioner of Police

"It is always said that a man does not shed his humanity or his dignity once he crosses the threshold of our detention cell. He or she remains a human being. The only thing that that person should be deprived of is the freedom of movement for the time that he or she is detained."

Col. George Lovel- CEO, National Security

"It is not just human dignity and respect but it is their human right. It is for a long time that not just the Queen Street cell block have been in a deplorable standard but cell blocks across this entire length and breadth of our country; sad to say."

Kevin Arthurs- Human Rights’ Commissioner

"The public should be cheering loudly in front of their televisions that the average Belizean believes and respects that there is a difference between a criminal and the law abiding citizens. A prisoner loses his freedom and not his dignity when he is detained. And when someone is sentenced he is to be sentenced and not tortured. In sitting over there and speaking with the CEO I told him that I am happy that we have made this step because surely whatever new name the facility has, it is surely better than the piss-house."

And to make it better, the cells are outfitted with exhaust fans and industrial toilets.

Chester Williams

"And so, when we look at the renovation of the cell block you will see many new features that were not there before. You will see bunkers, you will see extraction fans, you will see that the floor no longer has tiles  but rather we have some water proof material that will prevent water or urine from seeping in to the concrete and developing that stench. You will see some very expensive sewerage; and I will tell you that those sewerage come at a very expensive cost- $2600 for one. We have already installed three and we have four more in order that we are still waiting for. We must also recognize that it is of paramount importance that the cell block be kept in a good state. It rests upon the police, who are guardians of this institution, to ensure that the prisoners, who will be kept in these cell blocks, clean their surroundings. And I want to sound it loud and clear, it is not the responsibility of the police to clean the cell block. The prisoner has the responsibility of ensuring that the area where he or she is being kept is kept in such a way to be able to ensure that the hygiene and their human dignity is maintained. And I've said to both Mr. Augustin and Ms. Anderson to ensure that we get the necessary equipment that we need, including the cleaning aids that will be given to the prisoners, to ensure that the cell blocks are kept clean every morning and evening. It must be cleaned twice a week."

And while this guy hasn’t gotten the eviction notice yet, certainly the HD cameras will pick him up soon enough. Police concede that a certain social media post did speed things up:

Chester Williams

"I know that recently some photographs have gone viral from our police detention cell. And those photographs did create some public outrage in respect to the manner in which the cell block was being kept. Now, I know that some may say that it was because of those photographs that the renovations were made. But as I've said before, we already had in motion the renovation of the cell block and were only awaiting for the estimates. But as bad as the photographs going viral may have been, I do believe that it did give the public an appreciation as it relates to what were the conditions of the detention cell. And yes it may have done some good in some respect, in that the process was indeed expedited."

And while Corporal Darrell Tutsi Usher gets some credit, the Human Rights Commission says don’t forget the one woman protest by Yaya Marin from 5 years ago.

Kevin Arthurs

"It started with one civilian deciding that buying a 75 cents Bristol board would change the name and the treatment that persons had who could not help themselves. We are happy that Ms. Yaya Marin went to, I believe, Angelus press and bought that 75 cents orange, I believe it was, Bristol board."

Williams said that the tab for the renovations so far is 60 thousand dollars.  

Next, they will renovate the Raccoon street cellblock as well and then start working on the out-district holding cells.  

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