The country's only forensic pathologist believes he is being sidelined because he has spoken openly about the ills facing the Forensic Science Centre, St James.
Valery Alexandrov, in an interview with the T&T Guardian, said he was "short-listed" by the Ministry of Justice for the desperately needed position of pathologist. He claimed the delay in renewing his contract was due to the mentality of Arlene Lewis, who is head of the Forensic Science Centre
However, Lewis said the issue of employment of Alexandrov and other pathologists and other contractual workers was up to the Ministry of Justice. Calls to the ministry's HR department, which is responsible for the renewal, went unanswered.
Alexandrov said there was a worldwide shortage of forensic pathologists and he has been receiving offers worldwide. Alexandrov said he has been working in T&T for the past seven years and built a home here and wanted to stay.
He added that he hoped to write a textbook when he retired and T&T had provided chapters of information, particularly as it relates to chop wounds which are not common in the US and Canada.
"Since I have been here I have implemented photographing the bodies and microscopic tissue sample. I would have liked that we had a tissue bank, but the room I had wanted to use for that was turned into a garbage room. From my experience I have enough to write a textbook; the last one was published 25 years ago," Alexandrov said, adding since his contract ended in January he had been assisting not only T&T but other Caribbean islands.
Alexandrov also complained about the lack of proper infrastructure at the Forensic Science Centre, lack of manpower and equipment. He added that the delay in hiring another pathologist to perform autopsies was adversely affecting the other two pathologists Dr Hughvon des Vignes and Dr Eslyn Mc Donald-Burris.
Mc Donald-Burris, the T&T Guardian was informed, was forced to cancel her month-long vacation as it would have meant that Des Vignes would have been working for at least six weeks without a break.
Alexandrov's former contract, obtained by the T&T Guardian, states he worked for a basic salary of $26,300 a month, a $2,700 transport allowance, a $10,000 duty allowance for extended work hours, an incentive allowance of $10,000, telephone allowance of $350 and a housing allowance of $5,000.
However, while he is entitled to personal leave, compassionate leave in the event of a family death and sick leave, there is no medical insurance coverage. Gratuity is paid on the basis of satisfactory completion of duties equivalent to 20 per cent of the gross salary earned.
About forensic pathology
A pathologist is a physician who studies body fluids and tissues, helps your primary care doctor make a diagnosis about your health or any medical problems you have, and uses laboratory tests to monitor the health of patients with chronic conditions. Forensic pathology is a sub-speciality of pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. The autopsy is performed by a medical examiner, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some jurisdictions.