CONTRACTORS have requested one more week to finish their  work on the construction of the Forensic Laboratory at Dennis Street, Sophia, but already highly qualified personnel have  been selected to work in  the Lab, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee informed yesterday.

The state-of-the-art facility, which is situated within the precincts of the University of Guyana (UG), was expected to be completed by yesterday. Thirty-eight applicants were reportedly interviewed for 21 positions by a panel.
Speaking yesterday at a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) press conference at Freedom House, on Robb Street, Minister Rohee disclosed that lab equipment has arrived in the country and is being safely stored.
According to him, it is now only a matter of time before the contractor can finish up the technical and  physical work on the site.
This facility is expected to bring Guyana’s forensic capability on par with those in the developed world, and will allow for a high level of confidentiality, credibility and integrity between law enforcement agencies and the public.

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In December, 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 facility which, when completed, is expected to be the best forensic lab in the Caribbean and one that could withstand scrutiny from any other facility in the world.
In September 2010, the sod was turned for the construction of the lab and the cost of the project is $700M ($500M for construction and $200M for equipment).
The construction of the laboratory was facilitated through an agreement signed between the Government of Guyana and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as part of the institutional strengthening component of the Citizens Security Programme (CSP).
Over the years, the Guyana Police Force has been at a disadvantage in carrying out effective investigations regarding criminal matters, resulting in many unsolved cases. However, the completion of this laboratory will significantly improve local forensic capabilities, thereby enhancing the security sector.
Government, being cognisant of the need for more advanced technology to enhance the crime-fighting capacity of the Guyana Police Force, has embarked on several ground-breaking initiatives to ensure that the security sector is fully geared to deal with emerging challenges.
Meanwhile, Minister Rohee said a senior training officer from a Police Training College in the United Kingdom is expected to visit Guyana in August to assist in a scoping exercise with respect to training officers in the Guyana Police Force.
Rohee expressed confidence that the training aspect is moving aggressively in the Police Force as it has garnered a lot of support and offers.