Police have confirmed that Mario van Beek, the judicial manager of CLICO (Guyana), was shot by an unknown gunman on Thursday in the capital, Georgetown.

Van Beek was shot in the chest and is said to be in stable condition at a local hospital. Her sister, Dionne Fareez, said the bullet missed van Beek's heart and lungs by a 'fraction'.

"She is stable and resting in the hospital, she was barely saved because the doctor told me the bullet is still inside her and passed very close to her heart and lung," Fareez said.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, under whose purview van Beek falls, in a statement, said that the government notes with the greatest concern the immoral attempt on the life of van Beek.

"The administration finds it incomprehensible that any sane mind would stoop to such an act that would seem to have intention of frustrating the work she (van Beek) is doing as the commissioner of insurance.

"The Guyana Police Force has already commenced its investigations into the matter and the commissioner of police has assured us that no stone would be left unturned during the investigations," Dr Singh said.

He also said that regardless of what attempts were made, the government would not shy away from its efforts to protect policyholders of CLICO (Guyana).

Van Beek was appointed judicial manager of the ailing CLICO (Guyana) in February after Government secured a court order to take control of the company, following the bailout of its parent company, CL Financial, in Trinidad and Tobago.

On Wednesday, van Beek presented her findings at the Supreme Court here after carrying out an investigation as to why CLICO (Guyana) had failed and in her report criticised the way the company was managed.