Hitches in Tivoli autopsies

There are reports this morning that the Government has been conducting post mortem on people killed in the west Kingston incursion without the promised independent oversight.



Our news centre has confirmed that at least 18 post mortems have so far been conducted without the presence of an independent pathologist.



A further seven bodies were reportedly in an advanced state of decomposition and it was deemed impossible for the examination to be undertaken on them.



The national security ministry had said the post mortems would begin today on the 73 west Kingston victims at the Spanish Town Hospital morgue.



Only one forensic pathologist retained by the Office of the Public Defender will observe the post mortems on behalf of the families of the victims.



That is because government officials initially claimed that only one post-mortem could be done at a time so there was no need for an extensive team.



As a result, the chief forensic pathologist at the Ontario Forensic Pathologist Services in Canada, Dr Michael Pollanen, will not be able to assist the families of at least 25 of the Tivoli victims.



Dr Pollanen has been in Jamaica ready to observe the proceedings.



However, officials have indicated that a second system will be in place by the end of this week, allowing for another independent observer pathologist.



The international ballistics expert who arrived in the island to begin work on June 8 has been sent home because investigators say they will not need his services for two months.