(9) While taking note of the efforts made by the State party in addressing the issue of the ethnic composition in the Guyana Police Force, the Committee is concerned at the reduced presence of persons of Indo-Guyanese origin in the police force, which would appear to be among the underlying causes of the high number of deaths in custody of persons of Indo-Guyanese origin. The State party should continue its efforts to diversify the ethnic composition of the Guyana Police Force and take appropriate measures to prevent the incidence of deaths in custody. (10) While taking note of the low number of health personnel in the country, the Committee is concerned at the absence of training for medical officers on their obligations under the Convention, particularly to identify and document cases of torture and to assist in the rehabilitation of victims (art. 10). The State party should take the necessary steps to ensure that adequate training is provided to the medical personnel in the country regarding their obligations under the Convention and in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol. The State party is encouraged to seek international cooperation and technical assistance to conduct such trainings. (11) The Committee is concerned about reports on the excessive length of pretrial detention, which, despite existing legislation limiting its duration, can occasionally last between three and four years (art. 11). The State party should take all necessary measures to guarantee that the mandatory limits established by law are respected in practice in order to ensure that pretrial detention is only used as an exceptional measure for a limited period of time. (12) The Committee has noted the unacceptable detention conditions prevailing in Guyana, in particular in the Georgetown and Mazaruni prisons. The most widespread problems are overcrowding, poor hygienic and physical conditions, as well as lack of human, material and financial resources. The State party should take immediate steps to reduce overcrowding in prisons by improving the infrastructure and hygienic conditions and making available the necessary material, human and budgetary resources to ensure that the conditions of detention in the country are in conformity with minimum international standards. The State party is encouraged to seek and/or devote technical assistance for this purpose. (13) The disciplinary measures used in the treatment of prisoners are a matter of concern for the Committee, in particular section 37 of the Prison Act, 1998, which allows whipping, flogging and reduction of diet (arts. 2 and 11). While taking note of the statement of the representative of the State party that these disciplinary measures have not been used, the State party should review all legal provisions which authorize these practices with a view to abolishing them as a matter of priority. The State party is reminded that treatment of prisoners should guarantee full respect for the dignity and human rights of all prisoners in conformity with the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. (14) The Committee is concerned at allegations that children (ages 10-16) are not always separated from adults while on remand and at the dire conditions of detention (art. 11). The State party should adopt urgent measures to ensure that children (ages 10-16) are always separated from adults while on remand. The State party should also take measures to bring the conditions of detention in conformity with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (The Beijing Rules), the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines) and the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of Their Liberty. 16