The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) says it has recorded a successful year with several outstanding achievements for 2022, including three new sub-offices and petroleum measurement standards.
Sub-offices were opened in three Regions – Region One (Mabaruma), Region Five (Fort Wellington), and Region Nine (Lethem). The Bureau developed, revised and adopted a total of seventy-five standards including petroleum measurement standards relevant to the Oil and Gas sector. From April to December of 2022, twenty-one companies were certified under the programme, which permits them to place the Made in Guyana Standards Mark on their authentic Guyanese products.
Under the other GNBS’ established certification programmes, two new medical laboratories were certified, and nine laboratories were recertified. The two new certified laboratories were Home Care Medical Laboratory of Columbia, Essequibo Coast and Caribbean Surgery Inc. Laboratory in Georgetown. Under the GNBS Product Certification programme, one new hollow block manufacturer was certified while six other products were recertified to the respective standards.
The Certification Department completed fifteen management system audits for companies implementing the requirements of international standards. The GNBS’ Business Development Department worked with many companies to promote the implementation of national and international standards and conducted 73 Training courses in which 863 persons from the public and private sector were trained on Management System Standards and other requirements. The Bureau also provided Technical Assistance to thirty-eight companies towards certification/accreditation to international standards including the ISO 9001 – Quality Management System Standard.
Meanwhile, the Bureau continued to meet its objectives as the country’s National Measurement Institute (NMI) and verified 39,807 measuring instruments used in trade including scales, masses, petrol pumps, breathalysers, speed guns, electricity meters and other devices. In addition, the Legal Metrology Department conducted 3,878 surveillance visits to shops, markets and other retail outlets to ensure the measuring instruments comply. Amongst the GNBS’ key achievements for 2022, the Industrial Metrology and Testing Laboratory launched new services. Those are non-destructive testing of gold, calibration of steel rules, tapes and depth gauges, testing of crude oil and medium distillate fuels for 5 parameters, and testing of percentage acid and base.
In 2022, the Department also calibrated 2,039 measuring instruments. This sum includes 938 weights, 216 electronic balances, 360 thermometers, 181 volumetric meters, 183 pressure gauges, and 37 torque wrenches. To create awareness on its product and services, the GNBS also conducted several outreaches inclusive of school lectures at the secondary schools and meetings with stakeholders. Primary Schools were also engaged in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 in its Standards in Academia Quiz Competition with Bath Settlement Primary School emerging the winner.
