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Residents of Linstead, St Catherine, are speaking out about the shocking lack of privacy at their local police station for nearly a year.

With the room provided for them at the Linstead Town Centre being inadequate, police personnel have been using the corridor as an office. There is no designated interview area, forcing residents to whisper sensitive information to the cops who take statements in full view of pedestrians and motorists.

One woman, who had stopped by to give a statement, described the discomfort.

"To how me shame, me ask the police if we could a go one side," a woman said. "But there is nowhere to go. Everybody hear everything."

She added, "Mi come fi report one robbery wah day and affi turn back cause the rain and mi just a come back today fi file the report."

Another resident was equally peeved.

"Mi feel it fi the police dem too, out here a work pan corridor like them a jerk chicken. And if the station cah protect me from rain, how dem a guh protect me from criminal?"

The building that housed the station has been in a state of disrepair for some time. The police were relocated after the conditions were exacerbated by the passage of Hurricane Beryl last year. A $21 million contract was awarded for comprehensive renovation works under the Ministry of National Security's Project Rebuild, Overhaul, and Construct programme. These renovations were expected to be completed in January.

Councillor Herbert Garriques, who represents Linstead in the St Catherine Municipal Corporation, said the current situation is unacceptable.

"There are cases where people come in to make reports while it's raining and the police have to be squeezing in, trying not to get wet on the corridor," Garriques said.

"It's terrible. We are not to treat our public servants like this."