DNA lab to be set up in Port-of-Spain

Government is in the process of inviting tenders for equipment to outfit the DNA lab which is expected to come on stream by year’s end.

The DNA lab is expected to be housed at the ABMA building at St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain and staff are being recruited.

A DNA regulator from Jamaica has already been contracted to oversee the operational aspect of the lab.

Experts from North America are also liaising with the regulator for advice on procurement of equipment and the setting up of the lab.

It is the intention to carry out, in the first instance, DNA testing on the entire prison population before the end of the year. This is expected to take about six weeks. All police officers and members of the protective services including Prisons, Immigration and Customs will also be required to submit themselves to testing.

There are also plans to do testing on those who are arrested on suspicion of committing crimes.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi told Newsday the legislation has already been passed and government intends to comply with it.

“We are on an urgent operationalisation of the DNA laws which were last put into the statute books without any advance since 2011.”

This country has been sending samples to labs in England and the United States with the results being made available several months later.