Try as hard as one might, it is hard to find any silver lining behind the cloud of embarrassment surrounding the investigations into the death here in Jamaica of Bob Woolmer, coach of the Pakistan cricket team. The country's image has been seriously besmirched. It is ironic that given our reputation of having one of the world's highest murder rates we should have contrived to announce to a worldwide audience that another had been committed here - the victim being well known in the international sport arena. An no Jamaican was 'suspected' of being involved according to the initial theories, it was still damaging to the country's reputation.

The probe was always going to be a difficult one, taking place as it was in the glare of international media already here to cover the Cricket World Cup matches. People, including media representatives, were clamouring for information and a quick resolution. That some of our investigators appeared to have been taken in by their own sense of importance and seduced by the multiplicity of microphones and television cameras did not help the situation any. One hastily called late-evening news conference that added no further information merely helped to fuel speculation of a homicide. The situation was badly handled, and not only by the local pathologist, whose 'professional advice' is now deemed to have been way off the mark.

The issues of major concern for us now, however, go beyond any damage to the country's image and reputation. The snafus provides an opportunity for the Government to revisit the way autopsies and police investigations are done. The high-profile nature of the Woolmer death and investigation have merely served to underscore the concerns which many people here have been expressing for years. Families have been unable to bury their relatives for weeks, sometimes for more than a month, because a shortage of pathologists in the government system means autopsies have to be postponed. In more recent times, some families, with the support of human rights groups, have been able to get permission to have independent doctors observe autopsies being done, particularly those involving controversial police killings. This is deemed necessary to satisfy the bereaved that a professional job was done and an accurate report submitted.

We have no reason to question the integrity of the pathologist in the instant case, but we cannot dismis concerns that many people would now have of the competence with which autopsies are carried out. So, notwithstanding Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas' statement yesterday, the country should at the very least be provided with an explanation of why Dr. Ere Sheshiah's initial report was so wrong. For, while it is true that histology and toxicology tests were requested early after the initial "inconclusive" findings, information was also put out in the public domain that Woolmer had a broken neck bone. This was retracted much later.

So Commissioner Thomas may be right that the investigation into the death is now officially closed, but there are still questions to be answered.

Perhaps the only positive element in this sorry saga is that the Woolmer family in South Africa may now find closure in this latest development. The knowledge that he died of natural causes may serve to lessen the sorrow of his passing just a bit. But our own technical inadequacies need urgent repair.