Saint Lucia host the Excellence Regional Leadership Summit in 2023

The Government of Saint Lucia hosted the inaugural Caribbean Center of Excellence Regional Leadership Summit. This Summit is headed by the leadership of the Saint Lucia Forensic Science Lab.

The two-day summit is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and Law Enforcement Affairs from October 10 to 11, 2023.

In 2023, United States Vice President Kamala Harris announced the Department of State will provide technical support and funding to designate Saint Lucia’s Forensic Science Laboratory as the centre of excellence for regional forensics.

The Forensic Science Laboratory is on course to be recognized as a Center of Excellence for Forensic Science in the Caribbean region. Lucia’s Forensic Science laboratory endured and persevered to attain the highest accreditation standard for a forensic lab in the Eastern Caribbean.

Fernanda Henry, Director of Saint Lucia Forensic Lab, said, “We have added an extension with the vehicle examination for secure controlled forensic examinations of Motor Vehicles of all kinds and a new crime scene unit as we work towards a transition of the scenes of crime officers from the RSPF to the forensic science services for a more scientific approach to seen investigations.”

The Lab currently offers services in drug chemistry, serial number restorations and tracing, body fluid identification and DNA analysis. The Saint Lucia Forensic Science Lab also helps to build national and international capacity through training in the respective disciplines.

In 2023, the United States government and the strategic capacity group committed the resources to assist the government of Saint Lucia in elevating the forensic science laboratory. They will also offer forensic services to the entire Caribbean region.

Linda Taglialatela, U.S.U.S. Ambassador, said, “We continue to provide crucial assistance through training and expert exchanges. The high-level representation at the summit from across the region demonstrates that you share our commitment to Regional security.”

The Lab has achieved international organization for standardization International Electrotechnical Commission accreditation conformity with ISO IEC standards, which means the forensic science lab has an efficient and secure system to manage risks related to the security of its data.