THE Guyana Police Force’s investigative capabilities will soon be greatly enhanced as the Ministry of Home Affairs’ state-of-the-art Forensic Laboratory at Turkeyen is nearing completion.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee disclosed yesterday that the laboratory, which is approximately 90 percent into its schedule, is expected to be completed by next month.The building, which should have been completed in April last, was held up as the primary contractor, Courtney Benn Contracting Services, experienced setbacks.
However, the equipment and other items for the laboratory have been procured and installation will commence this month, but only following the installation of an uninterrupted power supply to the building, Minister Rohee said. The staff for the laboratory has also been hired.
The Director of the Laboratory, who was recruited in October last, is now developing an operational activity table from the lab’s strategic plan, Minister Rohee said.
The $840M lab was launched under the Citizen Security Programme (CSP), initiated by the government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
This programme has three components: institutional modernisation of the Home Affairs Ministry, Community Action Component (CAC), and modernisation of the Guyana Police Force, which includes strengthening of its forensic capability.
In 2013, a bill was laid in the National Assembly to amend the Evidence Act to provide a legal person for the laboratory.
The Evidence Bill, which was introduced by the Home Affairs Minister to the National Assembly, was voted down by the Parliamentary Opposition in June.
Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, on December 13, re-tabled the Evidence (Amendment) Bill, in the National Assembly, which seeks to expand the range of documents and reports that can be admitted as evidence.