MINISTER of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee said, Monday, that the forensic laboratory now under construction is expected to be completed in May.

He said:”With respect to consultants and internal works, things still need to be finished, like the air-conditioning unit and so.”
Rohee noted that the mobilisation of equipment is something that does not happen overnight, but assured they are working on the lab and getting it going.
He added that he is pleased with the timeframe in which the facility will be constructed, pointing out that he wanted it to be in working order as soon as possible.
Rohee said:“The lab is going to be highly technical and these programmes and initiatives are going to benefit from a highly technical lab.”
He said while it is still being built, the building at Eve Leary, in Georgetown, will have to bear the burden of the workload.
On December 14, 2012, a US$1.688M contract was signed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Western Scientific Company for the supply of scientific equipment for the state-of-the-art Police Forensic Laboratory.
Witnessing the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Brickdam, were Minister Rohee; Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Juan Edghill; the contracting company’s officials; Acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell and senior police officers.
“Thieves should think twice about crimes they want to commit because the Police Force will soon be equipped with the tools to follow and find them wherever the trail leads,” Minister Edghill had remarked.

Negotiated transparently
Rohee said the agreement, which was negotiated transparently via the Tender Board, was an indication of government’s willingness and commitment to equip the Guyana Police Force (GPF) with the necessary tools to fight crime and catch those who prey on others.
Edghill, in supporting the views of Rohee, urged Western Scientific to ensure that the equipment supplied are as specified and within the budgeted contract.
“This is a flagship project for government and the best is expected of it,” the former stated.
President of Trinidad-based Western Scientific, Mr. Edwin Mackoon said, when equipped, it will be the best forensic lab in the Caribbean and one that could withstand scrutiny from any other facility in the world.
All of the equipment are due to be installed and tested by May 2013.
The contract was co-signed by Chairman of the Citizens Security Programme (CSP), Mr. Khemraj Rai, company representatives and Home Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary, Ms. Angela Johnson on behalf of the ministry and the Guyana Government.
Government, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is meeting the $450M funding.
The project falls under the CSP that was initiated between government and the IDB. The programme has three components, institutional modernisation of the Home Affairs Ministry; Community Action Component (CAC) and modernisation of the GPF, which includes the strengthening of forensic capability.
Courtney Benn Construction was awarded the contract to build the forensic laboratory.
The lab; installation of closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) around the city; the Integrated Crime Information System that links police stations to information; and the establishment of the National Intelligence Agency, form components of the overall strategy to enhance  police capability and curb criminal activities.