Last week in this column we carried the first five paragraphs of an article entitled ‘Competition in the CSME needs a national quality infrastructure.’
The article by Dr Chatterpaul Ramcharran continues:
“The GNBS (Guyana National Bureau of Standards) is actively providing continuous technical assistance to three (3) separate clusters of Public Sector Agencies, that is, a range of inspection Bodies, Testing Laboratories and Certification Authorities, so that they can become accredited to the respective international Standards System. Currently also, a series of Small Businesses Conferences, targeting stakeholders in the micro and small enterprises sector are being held in the respective Administrative Regions to educate and sensitise entrepreneurs about available fund and technical assistance.
“This vital move would create a strongly positive enabling environment by the Public Sector in order to facilitate easy market access.
“Work is also massively underway by Guyana to assist manufacturers to institute Quality Management Systems into their operations so that they can become certified to the enviable ISO 9001 international Standard System. Five Guyanese Companies have already been certified by external Registrars to this coveted international Standard i.e. the Demerara Distillers Limited. (DDL) Demerara Oxygen Company Limited (DOCOL), Edward B. Beharry and Company Limited, GUYSUCO and the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical School of Ogle. There are ten other companies that are at various stages of the process.
“The standard development process of Guyana has already been harmonized with the Regional one so that the Regional Standards produced are adopted as National Standards and this would certainly facilitate trade and trading in the CARICOM region and by the region in the wider international market.
“Sterling efforts are made by Guyana to effectively equip its series of Testing and Calibration Laboratories so that they can provide to the various industries accuracy, traceability of the measurement instruments and devices used in the said industries, and also, laboratories. Successful trade by a country is hinged on its National Measurement System, and Guyana would have this competitive advantage.
“Guyana also operates a Standards Mark Scheme for its various industries so that any product which consistently complies with the national standard and operates with a Quality Management System can be permitted to use the National Mark which would facilitate easy market access in the regional and international markets.
“Overall, what is needed is for Guyanese manufacturers to overcome their reluctance and resistance and implement a Quality Management System which complies with the ISO 9001 international standard. For the smaller enterprises which cannot reach to this level, efforts should be made to work towards the National Management System Standard. Manufacturers have little or no choice in the context of stemming the challenging competition in the CSME. It is very important to act now.”
