Medical and legal stakeholders attend One Day Training Symposium

Members of the Medical and Legal Profession met for One Day Training Symposium jointly hosted by the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Medical Association and the St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Bar Association on Saturday, May 28 at The Trinity School of Medicine in Ratho Mill.{{more}}

Eighty Medical and Legal Professionals, as well as Police Officers and an Insurance Agent heard several presentations from Dr Alfredo Walker, Forensic Pathologist of Ottawa and Assistant Professor at The University of Ottawa and Leading Criminal Attorney and former High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Rajiv Persad.

The Day’s Symposium opened with welcome remarks by the President of the SVG Medical Association Consultant Diagnostic Radiologist Dr Rosalind Ambrose who expressed her satisfaction with the turnout to the First Medical Legal Symposium. This was followed by remarks by High Court Judge Justice Kathy-Ann Waterman -Latchoo.

Justice Latchoo remarked that the Symposium was intended to meet a goal she had in mind; that often times when matters reached the Courts there is a concern as to whether the depth of preparation was really undertaken. She indicated that she was aware that this could be a difficult undertaking sometimes, but that we must be careful that it does not end up as a miscarriage of justice. She was pleased that this training initiative which she offered to the Bar Association had come to the fore, and that Dr Walker was the right person to discuss the many facets of gathering evidence relating to these matters.

The Morning Session was chaired by veteran medic, Dr Timothy Providence OBE, a former Medical Association President. Four Presentations were made by Dr Walker on Quality Assurance in Forensic Pathology; Courtroom Injury Presentation Techniques – the Role of Computer- Generated Images; Intra partum Neonatal Injury and Homicidal Incised – Stab Wounds – What do Courts need to know; while Mr Rajiv Persad dealt with Legal Implications of Presentation of Injury and Evidence in Cases of Wounding.

The Afternoon Session was equally stimulating with the presentations on Blunt Force Head Injury and the Role of Defense / Second Post Mortem by Dr Walker. This Session was chaired by V. P. of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Bar Association Mr Duane Daniel.

The Day’s activities ended with a Question and Answer Session, Certificate of Attendance distribution and a relaxing cocktail event at Beachcombers.