The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) plays a key role in ensuring that specified products sold, manufactured, imported and distributed in Guyana meet established compulsory national standards for quality, safety and labelling. The Agency is mandated by the Standards Act of 1984 to seize and destroy substandard products offered for sale, which are unsafe, defective and improperly labelled.
Among the products monitored by the GNBS are cigarettes and electrical fittings and equipment, which are monitored at the ports of entry and sales outlets across the country.
This year, the GNBS’ Product Compliance Department seized over 12,000 packets of cigarettes from dealers in Regions Three, Four and Six. The cigarettes offered for sale failed to meet the specified requirements outlined in the Tobacco Control Act of 2017. The primary reason for the seizure was inadequate labelling. Additionally, key details including the display of a pictorial warning over 60% of the package, manufacturing date, batch numbers, and the required ‘For sale in Guyana only’ marking were missing from the packets of the seized items.
The non-compliant packets of cigarettes comprised various brands, including Atlanta Switch, Darkis, Atlanta Blue, Atlanta Menthol, Virginia Type, Maxmillian, Marshal, Carnival, Tabaca and more.
In addition, 10,366 pieces of nonconforming electrical fittings and equipment, including wires, cables, lamp holders, circuit breakers, extension cords, power outlets, receptacles, knife switches and plugs were seized from dealers during surveillance activities in Regions Three and Four.
The seized items failed to meet key labelling requirements of the relevant National Standards. The non-conformances included the lack of certification marks, country of origin and manufacturers’ names, while some of the items were incorrectly labelled, and others were without any label.
Following discovery of substandard items, they are placed on hold, and twenty-one (21) days are given to dealers and importers to submit the required Test Certificates, Declaration of Conformity of Origin and other documents. However, since the documents were not provided, the items were seized and destroyed.
The GNBS, as of February 2020, commenced the monitoring of several electrical fittings and equipment based on the requirements of thirty-one mandatory national standards.
With the imminent shopping season, GNBS is urging importers and dealers to take the necessary steps to ensure their products meet the respective requirements outlined in the standards.
Importers and dealers can purchase a copy of the relevant national standards from GNBS to familiarize themselves with the requirements for products they sell. This will allow them to buy and sell products that meet labelling and quality specifications, which can tremendously reduce adverse quality and safety concerns including the likelihood of electrical fires caused by the installation and use of substandard products.
Lastly, the GNBS encourages importers to provide a manufacturer’s warranty and timely redress to their customers regarding defective products purchased.
GNBS also monitors Domestic Electrical/Electronic Appliances, Weighing and Measuring Devices, Textiles, Garments, Footwear, Safety Helmets, Safety Matches, New and Used Tyres, Gas Stoves, PVC Pipes, Furniture, Christmas Tree and Decorative Lighting Outfits, Cellular Phones and Gold Jewellery.
