s 31 Evidence of analyst
31.—(1) The Director may, by instrument in writing under his or her hand, appoint persons who in the Director’s opinion are qualified to be analysts for the purposes of this Act. (2) Subject to subsection (4), a certificate of an analyst appointed under subsection (1) stating that he or she has analysed or examined a substance and stating the result of his or her analysis or examination is admissible in evidence in any proceedings for an offence under this Act as prima facie evidence of the facts stated in the certificate and of the correctness of the result of the analysis or examination. (3) For the purposes of this section, a document purporting to be a certificate mentioned in subsection (2) on its production by the prosecution is, unless the contrary is proved, deemed to be such a certificate. (4) A certificate mentioned in subsection (2) shall not be received in evidence pursuant to that subsection unless the person charged has been given a copy of the certificate together with reasonable notice of the intention of the prosecution to produce the certificate as evidence in the proceedings. (5) Where a certificate of an analyst appointed under subsection (1) is admitted in evidence under subsection (2), the person charged may require the analyst to be called as a witness for the prosecution and the analyst may be cross-examined as if the analyst had given evidence of the matters stated in the certificate.