IN a significant boost to Guyana’s criminal justice system, a team of forensic science experts from the U.S.-based Strategic Capacity Group (SCG) conducted a comprehensive technical assessment of the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL) from July 14 to 18.

The visit was facilitated by the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
The SCG team’s mission is part of a broader effort to help the GFSL achieve prestigious International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) forensic accreditations — key benchmarks that will strengthen the lab’s capacity to deliver timely, reliable, and admissible forensic evidence, including DNA analysis.

Throughout the week, the U.S. experts engaged with the GFSL and held discussions with vital players in Guyana’s criminal justice ecosystem, including the Judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department, Police Prosecutors, the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Sexual Assault and Pathology Departments, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, and the Pan American Development Foundation.

Funded under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), the new partnership aims to sharpen the GFSL’s capabilities in narcotics and synthetic drug detection, safe handling, and evidence preservation. The initiative will also enhance collaboration with the U.S.-supported Regional Forensic Science Center of Excellence in Saint Lucia, as well as forensic laboratories in the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas.

The strengthened forensics co-operation is part of expanding U.S.-Guyana security ties. Earlier this year, on March 27, U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio and Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Hugh Todd, signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen bilateral security collaboration. The agreement focuses on countering narcotics trafficking, dismantling transnational criminal networks, and bolstering Guyana’s leadership on regional security issues.

“I’m grateful for INL and SCG’s expertise and the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory’s strong commitment to forensic excellence,” said U.S. Ambassador, Nicole Theriot. “The United States stands firm in our support for Guyana to reduce criminality and prosecute transnational criminals who seek to destabilise our countries and communities. This new INL initiative marks an exciting milestone for the United States and Guyana under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative and the recently signed U.S.-Guyana Security Cooperation MOU.”

Launched in 2010, the CBSI is a U.S.-Caribbean partnership that supports Guyana and 12 other nations in combatting narcotics trafficking, disrupting organised crime, and fostering regional security co-operation.