GNBS seized 694 defective scales last year
(Left to Right) Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GNBS, Lloyd David, Executive Director Candelle Walcott-Bostwick, Head of Legal Metrology Department, Shailendra Rai and Senior Inspector for Legal Metrology and Standards Compliance, Dillon Beckles during the press conference
(Left to Right) Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GNBS, Lloyd David, Executive Director Candelle Walcott-Bostwick, Head of Legal Metrology Department, Shailendra Rai and Senior Inspector for Legal Metrology and Standards Compliance, Dillon Beckles during the press conference

The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) conducted 7, 632 surveillance visits to business premises in 2016 resulting in the seizure of 694 defective scales and 394 masses countrywide, Executive Director of the entity Candelle Walcott-Bostwick has said.

Speaking at a press conference Monday at the GNBS office at the Exhibition Complex in Sophia, Walcott-Bostwick said the surveillance visits were conducted biannually to ensure compliance with weights and measures devices used for trade. She said the GNBS has offices in regions, two, three, four, six and nine and the department provides verification and inspection services while addressing consumers complaints for products monitored by the bureau.

Underscoring that the largest category of instruments initially verified are scales, masses and electricity meter, the GNBS head said this amounted to 5,991 initial verifications, but subsequent verifications added up to 22,827.
Meanwhile, she said the bureau received 188 complaints in 2016 when compared to 155 in 2015. These complaints surrounded issues with furniture, new and used tyres, cell phones and electrical appliances. The GNBS official noted that its officers completed verification exercises which included the stamping of scales, masses and measures used for the commercial trade at shops, markets, supermarkets, hospitals, clinics, health centres, manufacturing companies, fish complexes, rice mills, petrol stations and bulk terminals.

Head of Legal Metrology Department, Shailendra Rai, added that persons using these devices should ensure that they clean them, submit them for verification and make sure they are properly maintained.
He explained that consumers should not purchase from businesses with scales that are not verified by the GNBS.
Rai said the bureau has been encountering problems with the use of approved devices in commerce.

“What happen is that the GNBS cannot restrict the importation of domestic scales, because this can be purchased and used for domestic purposes, but what we are doing is trying to ensure that domestic scales are not used for commercial trade,” the Metrology Head said.
He explained many of the scales are not designed for commercial trade and businesses that want to purchase a scale for such trade can contact the bureau and recommendations will be given along with a verification stamp for the device.

“What you would find happening is that the consumers are cheated as the domestic scales damages faster because the spring becomes weak and the scale reports more but in reality the consumer is getting less weight. Sometimes something may weight 1.5kg but in reality you are only getting 1kg,” he explained.
With the GNBS act revised and updated, there will be steps taken to increase penalties and fines as it relates to the use of the defective scales. Persons are also asked to contact the GNBS to know what devices they can use and purchase for commercial trade.

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