The government is strengthening its forensic laboratory to process more evidence and improve criminal investigations and prosecutions locally.

Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond spoke of the plans during the ‘Starting Point’ podcast on Sunday.

She said it will reduce the need to send samples overseas for testing.

“We are also building up capacity of the forensic lab so that we are able to process our own evidence right here in Guyana, so our samples don’t have to be sent abroad, which can be problematic,” she said.

The improvements include building capacity for ballistics testing and toxicology analysis, which can help investigators examine firearms evidence and identify drugs and other substances.

She said, “Many times, in some cases, because we didn’t have the capacity to test a particular ballistic, a particular weapon, or to test for a specific drug, the cases have all faltered.”

Minister Walrond added that the undertaking is part of a broader effort to strengthen the handling of cases from investigation through to prosecution. Some 500 police officers have also been trained in evidence processing to date.

The government is also supporting legal training for police prosecutors, with assistance from the Attorney General’s Chambers. Some police prosecutors are already lawyers, while other officers are receiving government scholarships to pursue legal qualifications, including the Legal Education Certificate (LEC).

Training is intended to improve their ability to present cases in court and secure successful prosecutions.