NEW FACILITY SET TO POSITION A&B AS FORENSIC HUB OF THE OECS

The Antigua and Barbuda Forensic Services (ABFS) is aiming to become fully operational by the end of 2026.

Forensic Director Michael Murrell, made the disclosure while providing ABS News with an exclusive tour of the facility in Carlisle’s on Wednesday.

Murrell expresses confidence that the facility is set to position Antigua and Barbuda as the forensic hub of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). He emphasised the critical role of forensic science in both securing convictions and exonerating the innocent.

He says the initiative began in 2016 with a formal proposal and gained momentum in 2023 when a dedicated facility was secured and retrofitted to house forensic laboratories.

The ABFS is currently focused on chemistry and ballistics. Six individuals are now undergoing an 18-month training program in ballistic forensics. It eventually plans to expand into various forensic disciplines, including toxicology, biology, trace evidence, and document examination.