KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine (IFSLM), is poised to become the hub for the Integrated Ballistics Identification System in the Caribbean region.

This is according to the Minister of National Security, Dr Horace Chang who made the comment during his recent contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

Chang said this was being made possible because of the continued upgrade to the IFSLM’s personnel and facilities.

“We now have one of the finest forensic science and legal medicine institutes in the Western Hemisphere, which is comparable to any in North America.

“Our crime management and investigative capabilities have significantly improved recently through technological advancement in forensics,” Chang boasted.

The security minister said that after some initial issues, “we have now completed the necessary work to get our DNA technology operational and functioning optimally”.

He also said Jamaica now has one of the finest Ballistics Unit, while the country’s pathology services will be significantly boosted with the completion of a state-of-the-art forensic pathology autopsy suite this financial year.

“Today, not only do we have the capacity to serve the Jamaican society, but our Caribbean neighbours as well,” said Chang.

Meanwhile, he said the multi-million dollar autopsy suite which is being constructed on Orange Street in downtown Kingston, is 15 per cent completed and should be ready during the course of the current financial year.