The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) today May 27, 2022, provided a crucial update to the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Laboratory’s Scope of Certification. The updated scope now includes the Analysis of Pesticide Residue in Rice, a key staple and export commodity for Guyana.
 Speaking at the certificate handing-over ceremony at the Laboratory’s, Mon Repos location, Ms. Reshmi Bissessar, Analytical Specialist stated that the laboratory can now reliably meets the testing needs of Rice exporters and farmers for Pesticide residue in rice locally, and this can be done in seven (7) days as compared with the forty-five days taken by overseas laboratories. Ms. Bissessar added that the now certified residue testing offered by Pesticide Lab is far more affordable and includes testing for the residue of common chemicals such as imidacloprid, fipronil, and thiamethoxam.
 The overall scope of the certification held by the Pesticides Laboratory now covers Pesticide Quality Analysis, Physical-Chemical Testing for Pesticides Formulation, Determination of Nutrient Content in Fertilizers, and Pesticide Residue Analysis.
 In handing over the updated certificate, Mr. Latchman Mootoosammi, Technical Officer of the GNBS congratulated the Laboratory for the addition to its scope of testing and urged the laboratory staff to continue to maintain the requirements stipulated under the Certification Programme. Mr. Mootoosammi also encouraged the lab to utilize the other relevant services of the GNBS and to continue to strive for continual improvement.
 The GNBS certifies Testing and Medical Laboratories to the GYS 170:2009 Standard (General requirements for the operation of a laboratory). The Pesticides Laboratory was first certified in 2019 by the GNBS and was re-certified in 2021 for its commitment to maintaining the requirements of the standard.
 GNBS urges other uncertified laboratories to begin to pursue certification to provide those utilizing their services with the assurance that they are receiving accurate and reliable results.
 To initiate the process of certification, laboratories can contact the Bureau’s Certification Services Department on 219-0064-66 or e-mail certification@gnbsgy.org to learn more.
