The Governments of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda, with support from the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), conducted a specialized training programme for firearm examiners.
The trainings took place in Basseterre from 13 to 17 April and in St John’s from 20 to 24 April, bringing together seven participants from both countries – including 1 female from St Kitts and 1 female from Antigua – for an intensive module in cartridge case examination and comparison microscopy.
The course forms part of a 12month long, specialized course- intended to create Firearm Examiners in both jurisdictions to respond to an upsurge in firearm incidents requiring forensic ballistic expertise.
The training emphasized the development of strong competencies in bullet comparison and the interpretation of observed correspondence—skills that form the foundation for subsequent training and the refinement of identification criteria.
The initiative responds to the growing demand for specialized forensic capacity in the Caribbean, ensuring that national institutions are equipped with trained firearm examiners capable of supporting investigations, prosecutions, and broader security sector reforms. By embedding technical expertise locally, the programme contributes to sustainable justice outcomes.
UNLIREC, as the regional arm of the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States.
The Firearm Examiner Training and its individual modules contribute towards the implementation of Goal 3 of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap – “Bolster law enforcement capacity to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking and their illicit possession and misuse, and ammunition, and ultimately reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean”. This activity was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of the Canada and contributes to the implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.