MINISTER of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee said, Friday, that the construction of the forensic laboratory aback of the University of Guyana (UG) is between 40 and 42 percent completed. He said the company doing the job is behind with the physical structure, due to the weather and the procurement of appropriate materials, among other things.
But, in the meantime, Rohee said staffing issues are being pursued, as the personnel will be drawn mainly from the civilian population, along with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Forensic Branch.
He said staff of the facility will also come from amongst UG graduates and students desirous of being involved, based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Ministry, UG and Courtney Benn Construction Services Limited (CBCSL), on April 7, 2011.
Rohee said they are also looking at other forensic laboratories in developing countries to see how they are structured and the kind of staff required.
The $449M contract to build the modern laboratory was signed by CBCSL and the Coordinator of the Citizen Security Programme (CSP), Mr. Khemraj Rai, under the Ministry.
In 2010, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) agreed to fund the modernisation of the GPF and the building of the laboratory was awarded to CBCSL to be done within 12 months.