Official: No pile-up at at Forensics

A statement issued by Marcia Hope, manager of the Corporate Communications Unit at the Ministry of National Security contradicts information given from one pathologist.

Hope said the FSC received nine bodies on Monday and, although the scheduled pathologist called in sick at about 10 am, had performed all nine autopsies and released the bodies to their respective families by 4 pm. Hope said arrangements were made within minutes for the scheduled alternate pathologist, who was in Tobago at the time, to conduct autopsies and that management informed police officers present that autopsies will begin at midday. While they awaited the pathologist’s arrival, interviews were conducted and paperwork was completed. However, pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov contradicted the details given in the release yesterday and blamed a senior official at the FSC for the distress endured by the families awaiting the results of autopsies on Monday.

“This could have been avoided if the administration would have some vision,” Alexandrov said.

“We pathologists come in every day and do our jobs as best as we can.” Alexandrov told Newsday that a total of 15 bodies were received at the FSC on Monday. These included the several murders committed over the weekend. When the pathologist on duty called in sick, persons requested that he take her place but they were told that he was out of the country.

Up to midday on Monday, no pathologist was available. However, Dr Hughvon Des Vignes, who was in Tobago at the time, was called to Trinidad to conduct the autopsies. Alexandrov said the autopsies commenced at 2 pm. He said that of the 15 bodies received, nine were examined.