GUYANA is moving to expand its capacity to conduct forensic toxicology testing locally as nine personnel from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory undergo specialised training aimed at speeding up the delivery of scientific evidence for criminal investigations.
The four-week programme is being conducted in collaboration with the National Forensic Sciences University of India and builds on toxicology testing already being undertaken in Guyana.
Three GPF personnel and six members of the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory are participating in the training, which is intended to broaden the range of toxicology tests that can be performed locally.
The initiative is also expected to reduce the need to send forensic samples overseas and shorten the time investigators wait for critical results.
Forensic toxicology can assist investigators in determining whether drugs, alcohol, poisons or other substances may have contributed to a crime or death. Timely analysis can therefore help establish key facts, identify evidence and advance investigations.
Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, said strengthening local forensic expertise is ultimately aimed at improving the administration of justice.
“Behind every forensic result is an investigation, and often a victim or family waiting for answers. The longer investigators wait for critical evidence, the longer a case can take to move forward,” Walrond said.
She said developing greater expertise locally would allow more testing to be conducted in Guyana and facilitate faster access to forensic results.
“That means stronger investigations, better evidence before the courts and a justice system better equipped to deliver timely outcomes,” the minister said.
The training is also bringing police investigators and laboratory personnel together, with the aim of strengthening coordination throughout the forensic evidence process, from collection and preservation to analysis and presentation during investigations.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Guyana’s forensic capabilities and increase the role of timely and reliable scientific evidence in criminal investigations.