Dr. Vincent Latour, a preventive youth health physician at the Department of Public Health DVG, has moved to the Netherlands to specialize as a forensic doctor for Aruba.
This opportunity was created by the DVG thanks to the collaboration with the Ministry of General Affairs, Department of Human Resources, Family Justice Center (FJC), and the Netherlands School of Public & Occupational Health (NSPOH). After years of not having a local forensic doctor, Aruba will finally have one. The forensic doctor’s duties are to assist forensic investigations in sexual abuse cases and severe relational abuse cases. It will fortify the investigation of trace evidence, but the collaboration between different entities, like the Youth and Vice Police (JZP) and the Police Department (KPA), Horacio Oduber Hospital, Guardianship Council Directorate, Department of Social Affairs, Bureau Sostenemi, Public Prosecutor, Safehouse and other partners.
Since the start of 2022, the DVG and the FJC approached the NSPOH and explored the possibilities of having an Aruban candidate specialize in forensic medicine. After the positive feedback from the NSPOH, the DVG announced the job opportunity in the local media and through Arubahuis. This job opportunity announcement included the requirements and description of the tasks of a forensic doctor. In total, the DVG received four applications of which only the selected candidate met all the requirements set by the NSPOH. The NSPOH interviewed the candidate who got selected for the position. Once the DVG received the NSPOH’s approval of the candidate, they submitted the official request to the council of ministers since this was a study assignment. The council of ministers approved this request following the Department of Human Resources guidelines.
Dr. Latour worked in various disciplines in the Netherlands, namely multidisciplinary care in hospitals, in the family physician, and obstetrics field, before coming to Aruba. In 2016 doctor Latour moved to Aruba and started working at the JGZ as a preventive youth health physician. Doctor Latour worked at the Bureau Sostenemi as a confidential doctor since February 2021. Before his departure to the Netherlands last Sunday, he thanked all who made this possible, particularly his wife, who encouraged him to pursue this opportunity. Dr. Latour will follow his specialization in the Netherlands for the next 30 months.
The achievement of having a local forensic doctor in Aruba is a milestone. The DVG and JGZ are aware of the need for a temporary forensic doctor in Aruba, while doctor Latour follows his specialization in the Netherlands. They are negotiating with the NSPOH to have a forensic doctor temporarily in Aruba.
The Family Justice Center is a new project where judicial entities and social aid entities will work as much as possible, together under the same roof and in some specific cases, close together. Jointly they will provide a complete service to victims of sexual and severe relational abuse.
