Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
GOMES
LOCAL HUMAN rights group, Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ), is expressing concern about what it says is a shortage of pathologists to serve as observers at post-mortems.
Dr. Carolyn Gomes, executive director of JFJ, said on Wednesday that the situation continues to pose a challenge for the organisation.
"One of the greatest difficulties with the project is getting the cooperation of local pathologists to serve as observers at post-mortems, and to avail themselves of the specialised training in firearm injuries," she said.
Dr. Gomes was speaking during a joint press conference between the JFJ and the British High Commission, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.
The press conference was held to give an account of a £100,000 (J$11 million) grant from the British High Commission to assist with the promotion of an awareness of human rights issues among Jamaicans.
The grant is being spent over a three-year period to carry out several activities including legal services to communities as well as training of members of the security forces.
WORKING WITH MAJ
Dr. Gomes said the JFJ was working with the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ) to address the need for more cooperation from local pathologists.
At the same time, she said the JFJ was concerned about the operations of the Forensic Pathology Department in the Ministry of National Security.
"JFJ had occasion to write during the quarter to the Bureau of Special Investigations because of attempts being made to conduct post-mortems without photographs being taken," she said.
LONG DELAYS
Citing other challenges faced, she said there was an absence of photographers at post-mortems on more than one occasion, deliberate obstruction of the observer by the pathologists and long delays in getting post-mortems scheduled, resulting in bodies becoming decomposed.
Dr. Gomes said the deplorable state of the post-mortem room at the Spanish Town Hospital in St. Catherine was also of concern to the human rights group.
According to her, the hospital lacks the basic equipment and is not fit for the conduct of post-mortems.
