By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
AN American woman declared yesterday that she will never return to the Bahamas and is asking her friends to also boycott after facing deplorable conditions in a holding cell at the Central Police Station.
Frequent visitor Marjorie McClain, 53, said she was shell-shocked by the state of the holding facility, which she described as surreal, and is still reeling in disbelief that Bahamians subject their own people to such inhumane treatment.
She also criticised a slow, inept and disorganised judicial system during an interview with The Tribune.
The Indiana native was arrested on Monday at the Lynden Pindling International Airport for failing to declare some $64,000 in casino winnings from the Atlantis resort as she travelled back home.
“I was told from other inmates that tourists usually go to Cable Beach (Police Station),” she said, “but it was not possible because no female guards were on duty because of the holiday (Monday).
“It was the most stunning, nasty, inhumane place I’ve ever seen in my life. It looked like a movie, it was unreal.”
She added: “I turned that corner and it took my breath away. I always thought I was a relatively strong person. But I was wrong because I cried like a baby all night.
“The Bahamian people do this to their own people, the women’s (holding cell) was bad enough but the men – I don’t know how many men were in those cells – people were (urinating) on each other. The guy in the cell next to me was (defecating) in a bag.”
She claimed that the morning after her arrest, police officers told her they normally keep tourists at the Cable Beach police station.
“That’s saying to me you’re valuing the tourist more than your own people. That’s wrong. I’m not for making a jail like the Hilton,” she said, “but my goodness. I’m not exaggerating I would not put my animal in that place.”
She also claimed that United States customs officials were “awful” and did not try to help her.
“I think they enjoyed the fact that I would have to spend the night in jail. They told me that they called the embassy, but I guess I was kind of ignorant I never thought to ask to talk to them. But once I got in the cell there was no one to ask, no one ever came back.”
Mrs McClain said she was taken to the Central Detective Unit around 5pm and remained there until 11.30pm when she was then taken to the Central Police Station. Once there, she was put in a cell with a Canadian woman.
“When I walked in there,” she said, “there was in the corner an 18’’ by 18’’ area of (urine). The girl I was with said it was there when she got there, and they never made an attempt to clean it. Several people came by in the morning when the shift changed. No one ever even looked at it like it was unusual.
“No one came back, there was no water, no blanket, no pillow,” she said. “They didn’t ask if I needed to go to the restroom, nothing. There are no windows, no clock, no anything, no one ever came back again until 6 in the morning.”
Mrs McClain claimed: “My cell mate had been there since 10am and her friend had brought her water, so she was kind enough to share with me. But she kept telling me don’t drink much because you don’t want to go to the bathroom.
“I thought to myself I’m a country girl I can take it. But when we went to the restroom, I don’t know how to describe it. I don’t even know the words to use it was just like it had never been cleaned, ever. I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t go to the restroom, I just stood there. I don’t know what to say about that, just awful.”
Despite being told that court started at 10am, Mrs McClain said that she was not taken over to the courthouse until 11.45am and did not see the magistrate until around 1pm.
She appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes, who confiscated the winnings and gave her an absolute discharge.
While the actual court proceedings were brief, she lamented that the entire process was unclear and confusing.
“It was just inept,” she said, “everybody you asked a question, you got a different answer. They couldn’t tell you what’s going on, what the process is. They weren’t mean; they just wouldn’t give you any correct information.
“When I saw my sister I just collapsed. As an adult I lost both of my parents and I felt bad that this experience made me cry more than when they died. Since I’ve been home it’s constantly on my mind. I can’t get past thinking about it.
“I will never go back, and I will tell anyone who will listen to never go there,” she said.
Comments
sealice 7 years, 9 months ago
HAHA this lady got years of Bahamianization in one trip. We gotta deal with that crap on a daily basis because as she said = IT's Clear Bahamian politicians don't care about Bahamians unless they are related to em or Juicen em.....
kaytaz 7 years, 9 months ago
What a disgrace.....this is how we treat our people.unfortunately most Bahamians will see nothing wrong with this.
ohdrap4 7 years, 9 months ago
ahem, some people pay good money for that in western new providence!
TalRussell 7 years, 9 months ago
If she thinks she got see it all as guest policeman's, can you just picture the true height her shell-shocked raised eyebrows would have expressed, had only Comrade Frequent Visitor Marjorie, known to have visualized a Bride and her jailhouse Groom, getting married under the deplorable conditions in a holding cell at the Central Police Station. Oh yeah, only in Bahamaland - can's you tie the wedding knot in a Central Police Station's cell.
MassExodus 7 years, 9 months ago
Unfortunately this is not surprising. Our jails have been a disgrace for decades, our police force and government agencies don't use common sense. Internationally these conditions should not be acceptable. There should be at least some sort of standard, even for prisoners. On top of that they confiscated her winnings! Not really surprised. Our citizens should coup and take over the Bahamas... I am done waiting, watching and listening...
bluesky 7 years, 9 months ago
She should have declared the $64K..end of story.
My2cents 7 years, 9 months ago
If she had gotten the money back...I doubt she would have an issue with the conditions. It just sounds better to say she's boycotting for that reason, and not because her winnings were confiscated because she tried to do something illegal.
TalRussell 7 years, 9 months ago
Comrades sometimes the law is an ass. Isn't this law she was found guilty under, not intended to catch those involved with money laundering, illegal drugs and other crime and tax avoidance schemes and activities?
If the $64,000 were in fact "legal" casino winnings, I find it strange that her lawyer did not seek a ruling from the judge as to what constitutes bringing a charge under the law when it involves "legally obtained cash?
Now, what will now happen to the confiscated over to the state $64,000?
stoner 7 years, 9 months ago
The govt no doubt keep it. However, she can still apply for the funds once back in the USA and get it back less a fee for the Court and for breaking the law. it is not like drug money.
Clamshell 7 years, 9 months ago
It's likely already divvied up and gone.
arussell 7 years, 9 months ago
She's so right. Those police station are run down to the ground. Not even a good working condition
DillyTree 7 years, 9 months ago
Break the law and there are consequences! What did this woman expect? Sure, our jails aren't nice, but isn't that the point?
If she'd declared the money (as she must have known she was required to do when she filed out her US customs form), she would have been back home in the US by now and enjoying her life.
And as another poster pointed out, the only reason she's so pissed now is that she didn't get her money back. But of course, it's not her fault - she takes no responsibility for any of this! What a sad and pathetic little woman.
bogart 7 years, 9 months ago
Something does not ring true because this same Police Station not too long ago was a fit and good site for a wedding ceremony. Wasn't it?
bubbaslp 7 years, 9 months ago
What is the big deal of declaring at US Customs. You fill out a form and explain your winnings at TAX TIME.. Also breaking laws in a foreign land laws is no JOKE.
stoner 7 years, 9 months ago
The Common law system requires that she should be fined but not have all her money taken by the Court. This is completely out of order and I now wonder who has the $$$. Big Question considering how the local Govt operate and how dishonest they are. The funds were her winnings and should have been returned less a fine. This is the Common law system that operate under the British Common Law system. It is suggested that she file a claim in her local court and take action against the Bahamian Govt for the return of the funds less a fine.
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