GNBS In Focus Issue 02

M A R C H -

A P R I L

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I S S U E

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GNBS in Focus THE GUYANA NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS' BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER

BARTICA SUBOFFICE OPENED In order to meet the needs of residents in Region #7, the GNBS opened its new sub-office in Bartica, located in the building of the Regional Democratic Council.

GNBS CERTIFIES FIBRE GLASS BATH AND SHOWER UNITS FOR THE FIRST TIME FibreTech Industrial Plastics Inc. became the first local company to be certified by the GNBS for their plastic bath and shower units.

OIL AND GAS EXPERTS VISIT THE GNBS A team of oil and gas experts visited the GNBS late April to check on and determine the agency's readiness to facilitate oil and gas operations in Guyana..

W W W . G N B S G Y . O R G

GNBS IN FOCUS

Message from the Head, Corporate Communications.

Dear Readers, Welcome to the second edition of our bimonthly

Newsletter

where

stakeholders

on

have

happening

been

all

the

we

good at

update

our

things

that

the

Guyana

National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

During

March

and

April

there

were

many

positive changes at the Bureau; one being, the

establishment

Communications previously

of

the

Corporate

Department,

joined

with

which

the

was

Marketing

The Corporate Communications Department responsible

distributing awareness

for

content about

writing, to

the

editing

create Bureau,

and

stakeholder its

services

Department

promoting System

the

of

is use

Units

also of

(SI)

responsible the

in

for

International

Guyana,

which

include metres, litres, and kilograms.

Generally, information is communicated via radio

and

programmes, notices,

this

television newspaper newsletter,

interviews

and

articles

and

and

through

in-

person interactions with stakeholders in the form of lectures and outreach visits.

Finally, this department manages the GNBS Email:

info@gnbsgy.org

number:

692-4627.

We

and

WhatsApp

welcome

any

feedback or concerns about the GNBS you may have.

01

Omesh Balmacoon Syeid Ibrahim

George DeFreitas

Editorial Contributors Lloyd David Bibi Khatoon

and the standards that are available.

The

Photo credits Bibi Khatoon

Department.

is

Mr. Lloyd David Head, Corporate Communications

Concept & Design Omesh Balmacoon

GNBS IN FOCUS

Table of Contents 07

03

03

15

Region Seven Sub-Office Officially Opens

01

Message from the Head, Corporate Communications

07

04 Fibre Tech Industrial Plastics Becomes First Company to Certify Its Fibreglass Products

IWD | Staff Raise Over $50,000 to Support Women and Children

06 08 09

Meet the GNBS Team- March/April Focus Eureka Laboratories Inc. Re-Certified GNBS Joins World Consumer Rights Day Activities

10

11 Oil and Gas Experts Visit the GNBS

MCD Prepares Delicious Seven Curry At Monthly Cook Out

12

Veterinary Services Laboratory Certified by the GNBS

15

Laboratory Technicians Trained to Install Equipment,

13 14

More Traffic Ranks Undergo Training Employees Undergo Training on Lead Auditing

17 18

Upcoming Events GNBS Social

Test Crude Oil

02

GNBS IN FOCUS

REGION SEVEN SUB-OFFICE OFFICIALLY OPENS The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS)

An Inspector of the Bureau is now stationed in the

launched its newest Sub Office in Region #7 on

mining

March

weighing and measuring devices used in trade, the

15,

2021

to

better

serve

businesses

and

opening

ceremony

was

joined

by

the

new

Industry of Commerce, among other officials.

testing

Executive

Ramrattie

Karan

Director in

gathering

pointed

pandemic

and

travelling

have

the

her

of

the

address

out

that

resulting

reinforced

the

Bureau, to

the

the

Ms. small

COVID-19

restrictions importance

decentralizing the services of the Bureau.

on of

office of

will

facilitate

the

verification

arrangements

concrete

hollow

of

all

attendees

of

blocks

for

and

and gold

jewellery.

Among

the

the

opening

ceremony,

which was held in the compound of the Regional Democratic Chairman

Council Mr.

Kenneth

(RDC), Williams,

were

Regional

Bartica

Mayor

Gifford Marshall and Regional Commander Senior Sup. Dion Moore.

03

conduct

products monitored by the Bureau. Additionally, the

Honourable Oneidge Walrond, Minister of Tourism,

Acting

to

registration of stakeholders and the inspection of

consumers in the region.

The

town

GNBS IN FOCUS

IWD | STAFF RAISE OVER $50,000 TO SUPPORT WOMEN & CHILDREN

In

observance

of

International

Women’s

Day

(IWD) 2021, staff of the GNBS hosted a Bake sale

to

support

underprivileged

women

and

children. The sale was able to raise a total of $55,600; Blossom

all

of Inc.,

which a

was

handed

over

to

Non-Governmental

Organisation (NGO) which provides support to women and children in various areas including Bartica, Region Seven.

04

GNBS IN FOCUS

MEET THE GNBS TEAM Team members featured in March & April

Briana Mangal, Nikieta Robinson (Top to bottom left)

Lloyd David, Clifton Franklin (Top to bottom right)

(Top to bottom centre)

Shaleeza Ally, Narine Mohanlall, Lashaunna Singh

06

GNBS IN FOCUS

FIBRE TECH INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS BECOMES FIRST COMPANY TO CERTIFY ITS FIBREGLASS PRODUCTS Fibre

Tech

Industrial

Plastics

(FTIP)

on

March

23,

2021 became the first local company to have its

that they have been tested and have proven to be of quality.

fibreglass products certified by the GNBS’ under its

07

Product Certification Programme.

Mr.

The company’s bathtub and shower units were found

proclaimed

to

confidently able to export its fiberglass products

be

in

conformance

with

requirements

of

the

Somat

that

Director

company

beyond. In addition, he said with increased local

permitted to affix the National Standards Mark to

business from the Oil and Gas Sector and the

bathtubs and shower units it manufactures, giving

boom

customers the assurance

manufacturers to have their products certified.

FTIP

is

in

construction,

it

is

Region

be

now

such,

CARICOM

now

FTIP

units

As

the

will

of

to

557:2020).

in

Managing

Guyana Standard for plastic bathtub and shower (GYS

countries

Ali,

ideal

for

and

local

GNBS IN FOCUS

EUREKA LABORATORIES INC. RE-CERTIFIED The Eureka Laboratories Inc. was in March re-

General requirements for the operation of a

certified

laboratory (GYS 170: 2009). This certification

by

the

Certification

Services

Department of the Guyana National Bureau

process

is

done

biennially

following

a

of Standards, giving the assurance that their

successful audit of the laboratory system to

processes are being conducted as required

the requirements of the Standard.

by the National Laboratory Standard –

08

GNBS IN FOCUS

GNBS JOINS WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS DAY ACTIVITIES March is dedicated to Consumer Protection and

the

Guyana

Standards

National

joined

Competition

with

and

Bureau

the

of

Guyana

Consumer

Affairs

Commission (CCAC) and the Department of Consumer

Affairs

Tourism,

Industry

several

activities

awareness.

(DCA) and to

Among

of

the

Ministry

Commerce create

those

to

of

host

consumer

activities

were

a

pop-up exhibition in Region Ten, a live TV programme and a webinar. The CCAC and the CAD also joined the ‘GNBS TALK BACK’ radio programmes to educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities.

During

these

urged

to

take

dependence circulation Consumer

events,

of

on

heed

Day

were

towards

plastic

single

Rights

consumers

and

use 2021

reducing

to

reduce

plastics. was

also

World

observed

under the theme “Tackling Plastic Pollution.”

09

GNBS IN FOCUS

OIL AND GAS EXPERTS VISIT THE GNBS The

GNBS

capacity

to

is

currently

serve

expanding

Guyana’s

its

Petroleum

assess

the

Standard

readiness

Body

to

of

support

the this

National rapidly

sector. As a result, a team of 13 experts

developing sector. The GNBS is preparing

from the Ministry of Natural Resources led

to commence the testing of crude oil, and

by

conduct

Mr.

Bobby

Gossai,

Senior

Petroleum

Coordinator of the Petroleum Management

other

related

calibration

and

verification services.

Programme visited the GNBS in April to

10

GNBS IN FOCUS

MCD PREPARES DELICIOUS SEVENCURRY AT MONTHLY COOKOUT

Ahead of this year’s Phagwah celebration, the Marketing

and

Communications

Team

prepared delicious ‘Seven curry’ for the staff of the Bureau to kick-start the holiday weekend.

Lunch, which was served in both the traditional leaves and boxes, was also shared with staff members of our sister agencies located in the National cookouts

Exhibition are

Centre.

meant

to

These

foster

monthly

unity

teamwork among staff of the organisation.

11

and

GNBS IN FOCUS

The

GNBS

has

Certification Laboratory

successfully

of

the

of

completed

Veterinary

the

Guyana

VETERINARY SERVICES LAB CERTIFIED BY THE GNBS

the

Services Livestock

Development Authority (GLDA) to the GYS 170 Standard

(General

operation

of

a

requirements

laboratory).

The

for

the

laboratory

received its certification for the first time on Tuesday,

April

assurance

13,

that

2021,

results

giving

its

users

the

emanating

from

the

consultancy

services

of

the

GNBS

as

they

pursue ISO 17025 accreditation.

facility are credible and reliable.

Ms. Ramrattie Karan, Executive Director (Ag.) of the GNBS handed over the certificate to Dr.

The certificate was presented in the presence

Grayson

of Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce

Halley,

Chief

Executive

Officer

of

GLDA at a ceremony held in the compound of

Hon.

Oneidge

Walrond

who

noted

that

the Laboratory at Agriculture Road, Mon Repos,

upholding Standards is important to compete

East Coast Demerara (ECD).

regionally and internationally. the

Minister of Agriculture Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha

for

who delivered the feature address pointed out

achieving the milestone and encouraged them

that Certification is important as the country

to continue utilizing the auditing, training and

looks to export meat and meat products.

At

the

event,

management

Ms.

and

Karan

staff

of

congratulated the

laboratory

12

GNBS IN FOCUS

Officers from the Product Compliance, Legal Metrology

MORE TRAFFIC RANKS UNDERGO TRAINING

and

Communications

the

Marketing

Departments

&

concluded

a

series of training sessions with Traffic Ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on the use of

speed

guns,

breathalysers,

metric

units

and the requirements for tyres. The sessions were held in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Ten. These training sessions should

help

to

improve

the

work

of

the

Guyana Police Force (GPF) on the roadways.

13

14

GNBS IN FOCUS

Team

members

of

the

GNBS

completed

training on auditing the BRC Global Food Standard

for

Food

Safety

Issue

8.0.

and

Quality Management System Lead Auditor Training. These trainings provided staff with the knowledge of Lead Auditing based on the requirements of these Standards. As a result,

employee

skills

and

competency

when it comes to the auditing of quality management

systems

are

expected

EMPLOYEES UNDERGO TRAINING ON LEAD AUDITING

to

increase.

14

GNBS IN FOCUS

LABORATORY TECHNICIANS TRAINED TO INSTALL EQUIPMENT, TEST CRUDE OIL Laboratory Metrology

Technicians and

Testing

of

the

Department

Industrial were

in

April trained to conduct crude oil testing. The Technicians are now able to conduct testing of API-gravity for crude oil, viscosity, density and specific gravity to support the local petroleum sector. The training, which was facilitated by Mr.

Jose

Olaya

from

INTECH

Instrumentos

y

Equipos, C.A also focused on installation of the various pieces of equipment used to conduct the aforementioned tests based on the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) method currently being utilized by the GNBS.

15

GNBS IN FOCUS

GNBS IN FOCUS

World Metrology Day Activities

IMT Department to begin testing of density, viscosity and API gravity of crude Opening of the GNBS Corriverton Sub Office

World Accreditation Day Activities

Announcement of Winner of Measurement for Health Poster Competition 17

GNBS IN FOCUS

18

RATIN B E L G E C

36 YEARS

O

Y F Q T I UAL