Government: No international accreditation for DNA testing lab | Loop Trinidad & Tobago – Loop News Trinidad and Tobago

Government said it has not attained international accreditation for DNA testing services at the Forensic ScienceCentre.

Senator and Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat, speaking on behalf of National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, in response to questions for oral answer presented by Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial, said the DNA testing lab at the Forensic Science Centre in St James has not yet obtained international accreditation.

The DNA testing lab at the Trinidad and Tobago Forensic ScienceCentre has not obtained international accreditation, however, preliminarydocuments such as the terms of reference and requests for quotations have been drafted.

Notwithstanding, through the use external services, the evidence provided by the Forensic Sciences Centre has always been accepted without any legal challenge.

In response to questions as to the total monies spent by government on DNA testing at private labs from 2020-2021, Rambharat said no money was spent on private services.

The Forensic ScienceCentre and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) did not expend any monies on private labs during the financial year 2020-21.

When asked whether any government owed any monies to private labs, Rambharat said he didnt have the information to hand.

In 2018, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said DNA legislation would be brought before Parliament, along with plans to operationalise the DNA database.

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Government: No international accreditation for DNA testing lab | Loop Trinidad & Tobago - Loop News Trinidad and Tobago