03 Feb 2019

The new Botswana Police Service forensic science laboratory project is progressing well and anticipated to be completed in July.

Speaking after touring the project on Thursday, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Mr Vincent Seretse said the project was progressing well.

He noted that the project commenced in October 2016 and would be now completed by July 2019.

He said he was impressed with progress made so far and urged the contractors to put more effort for the project to be completed successfully.

He said the over P267 million project, at the old Botswana Police College at Village location in Gaborone, was constructed by China Jiangsu International as the main contractor, and comprised of buildings, electrical and mechanical works and various specialised installations.

He further noted that the scope of the works comprised of the criminal records bureau, forensic science and pathology laboratories, a mortuary, ancillary buildings and related external works.

The minister said the facility would also house the latest clinical waste disposal equipment that used microwave technology to burn waste. He added that it was more environmentally friendly than conventional incinerators.

He said the project was initially scheduled to be completed by February this year, but that completion dates had to be revised to allow investigations by heritage specialists at the Department of National Monument and Art Gallery, and the delayed supply of some critical roofing materials and client initiated variations.

He said the ministry was now anticipating the project to be completed by July this year.

For his part, permanent secretary at the ministry, Mr Dikagiso Mokotedi emphasised that government wanted all projects to be finished on time and on budget without compromising quality.

He stressed that the country was no longer interested in projects that took too long to be completed and in the process overshooting their initial budgets.

The contractor, Mr Cui Wanglin promised to make up for lost time so that the project was delivered by July as expected.

He said they experienced challenges with some sub-contractors hence the delay, promising, however, that they would deliver the first forensic science laboratory of its kind in Botswana to the requirements and on budget. ENDS