The National Assembly has extended the deadline for the submission of the report of the special select committee reviewing reform recommendations for the disciplined forces.
The committee’s deadline is now August 6.

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee moved the motion for an extension at Thursday’s sitting of the Assembly, based on a request that was made by the special committee last December. The committee was appointed last July to conclude the examination of the report and recommendations of the Disciplined Forces Commission, within a six-month timeframe. It was also to make reference to the work by a preceding committee that had been set up by the previous parliament to do the same work. The DFC recommendations have been before the National Assembly since 2004. Its recommendation for reform of the police force was before the house in December 2003 as it had been given a special mandate to focus on the institution.

When asked about the need for an extension, committee member Raphael Trotman assured that the body has been meeting. However, he explained that its work was affected by the last parliamentary recess. So far, he added, it has “just about’ finished its examination of the portion of the report dealing with the Guyana Defence Force, while it is to begin consideration of those relevant to the police force, and the prison and fire services.

The DFC was established in 2003 to conduct a comprehensive review of the army, police, prisons and fire service. Following the completion of the commission’s work, a special select committee was set up by the National Assembly to review the recommendations. However, it did not conclude its work by the end of the last Parliament and last July the new committee was set up to conclude the examination of the report.