GNBS engages local Chinese businesses on strengthening quality, standardisation

The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), in collaboration with the Chinese Association of Guyana, recently hosted an awareness session for members of the local Chinese business community to highlight the importance of standards and promote greater quality, safety, and standardisation in the local marketplace.
The event highlighted how standards enhance quality, safety, efficiency, and competitiveness across various sectors. Participants also learnt about GNBS’ standards development, product certification, training and technical assistance, calibration and testing services, verification services, and product inspection.
During a presentation, GNBS Executive Director Trevor Bassoo informed the participants about the various aspects of the work that his organisation does in order to enhance quality control of products on the local market. The core services of the bureau include standards development, product certification, training and technical assistance, calibration and testing services, verification services, and product inspection.

The GNBS head also informed that the organisation also does inspections of imported items at the ports of entry or at warehouses to ensure they are not substandard, they meet all the import requirements, they are labelled correctly and they have the relevant certification.
“We are here to address your concerns and your queries, and we want to equip you with information so you can comply with local standards and local regulations so you can have smoother transactions and businesses here,” Bassoo stated.
The participants attending the recent awareness session represented businesses in the construction, engineering, medical, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and trading industries, among others.
Alex Wong, a representative of China Railway International Group, reflected on the benefits of the session, as he encouraged other companies to edify themselves on the work of the GNBS. In fact, he urged Chinese nationals operating in the country to get a product certification, which is issued to assure that a product conforms with specified requirements in standards and/or other normative documents.
“It’s not an easy procedure if you want to apply for specific standards. It takes like 18 months. So, if you want to use it, then you [have to] start to apply for it, or it would be too late. So, I encourage all of the contractors and businessmen who are working [here] to apply for the standard as early as possible,” Wong stated.
China Railway International Group is currently working on the US$35 million Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge in Linden and the historic 18-megawatt (MW) Guyana Solar Power and Energy Storage Project. Just last year, the company completed the US$260 million Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara Harbour Bridge in Guyana.
Nevertheless, this awareness session comes as the GNBS continues to engage businesses in response to concerns about product quality, safety and standards compliance in the local marketplace.
Just last year, the Chinese Embassy in Georgetown called on Chinese nationals who operate businesses in Guyana to ensure they follow local laws and regulations. These included applying for business licences and residence permits, opening bank accounts, and conducting business activities within the scope permitted by the law.
They were also urged to standardise daily business practices and to comply with tax regulations.
Moreover, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had also previously noted that the Government will work to ensure stricter enforcement of regulations in order to create a level playing field for businesses operating in Guyana.
His remarks were in response to concerns that Chinese-owned businesses are not adhering to local regulations and that their ability to attract more customers is putting Guyanese-owned businesses at a disadvantage – a concern that has recently resurfaced.
Citizens have taken to social media to complain about Chinese businesses, especially supermarkets, being allowed to operate unmonitored in communities across the country, not only putting family shops out of business but also creating disturbances to neighbours when persons hang around the establishment consuming alcohol that is often sold without the proper licences from the relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, Government officials, including President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Mark Phillips, have repeatedly underscored the importance of Chinese contributions to the country’s business landscape.