Minister of National Security Peter Bunting has indicated that there is the possibility that the nation's Forensic Science Labo-ratory may be transformed into an executive agency.

Bunting made the announcement on Monday at the Govern-ment Forensic Laboratory, while speaking about strategies to boost the lab's effectiveness.

"I really look forward to expanding the capacity of the lab and also perhaps making it some sort of executive agency, so it can start earning income, offering services to other Caribbean islands - way beyond what it does now," Bunting said.

training support

While lauding the forensic laboratory team, headed by Dr Judith Mowatt, and the United States Embassy (which has been instrumental in providing finance and training support at the laboratory), Bunting also pointed to the support that the national security ministry provides.

"One of the ministry's strategic priorities is to continue to support the development of the lab's infrastructure and human resources, and importantly encourage the use of new technologies to complement existing capabilities," Bunting noted.

Bunting also thanked the United States Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) for the support it has provided over the past 18 months.

The United States Embassy via NAS has provided equipment and training to the lab valued at approximately US$250,000. This contribution has significantly boosted ballistic investigation services.

US ambassador to Jamaica, Pamela Bridgewater, while referring to the United States' contributions, indicated that the importance of the work carried out in the state-of-the- art facility influenced her government's decision to support it.

"I'm very pleased that we've been able to spend about J$18 million to provide this equipment to you. ... we are planning to spend about J$20 million to buy equipment for other parts of this wonderful country ... to help with crime-scene investigations and the whole prosecutorial process," Bridgewater noted.

Mowatt also indicated that there are further plans in place to boost the forensic capabilities of the lab, which is currently rated as one of the best equipped and most modern-lab in the hemisphere.

Over the last two years, the Forensic Science Laboratory has embarked on an extensive reform and modernisation programme which has brought its standard of forensic analyses to First-World standards.