PHILLIPS

Edmond Campbell, News Coordinator

National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips, has appointed former president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ian Forte, to carry out a review of the circumstances surrounding the investigation into the death of Bob Woolmer.

This review, according to Dr. Phillips, would "assess the appropriateness of the techniques and the standards of professionalism employed by police investigators, as well as medical and other professional personnel."

Dr. Phillips, who made the announcement in Parliament yesterday, said the exercise would be completed within six weeks, and a report is to be submitted to him no later than July 31.

His comments came one day after Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas disclosed that the former Pakistan cricket coach died of natural causes in his hotel room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

The commissioner admitted to The Gleaner on Tuesday, that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) might have acted too hastily in concluding that Mr. Woolmer was murdered.

Dr. Phillips, who was speaking publicly on the Woolmer issue for the first time, expressed regret over his passing.

International experts

He, however, commended the JCF for seeking other opinions from international experts in relation to the local findings into the death of Woolmer.

"It is not anyone else who suggested that they wanted to give an opinion, it is the JCF, as part of their own investigations, that sought other opinions in the relevant areas and they are to be commended for it," he said.

In his presentation to the Sectoral Debate, he also praised the police for "treating the matter in the most open and transparent fashion possible".

Dr. Phillips told his colleagues that the circumstances of the case brought into focus the need for the most up-to-date forensic capabilities possible.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com

Dear Reader:

You've followed our coverage of the Bob Woolmer case from the time his death was deemed to be inconclusive, then suspicious, before being upgraded to murder. In the end, the cause of death was found to be natural causes. We invite you to air your views on the case in your letters to The Editor.