.jpg)
The test truck, valued $38M, will be used by GNBS to conduct verification of weighbridge scales (truck scales) used in the agricultural, transportation, industrial and retail sectors. The test measure, an investment of $6.2M, will improve the capability of GNBS to conduct verification of flow meters used at petrol terminals, airports and other private entities, thus ensuring that accuracy is maintained.
The two assets were formally commissioned yesterday at the GNBS’ office, Sophia, by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (ag) Irfaan Ali and Executive Director (ag,) GNBS, Evadnie Enniss.
“This is indeed a welcoming sign and indeed an important aspect of us improving our competitiveness, of us enhancing our ability to better service the community, and better enable the business environment to operate within international standards,” Minister Ali said.
The world and the business environment are changing at a rapid pace and standards are becoming critical aspects of that transformation. It is becoming an important dimension in determining how successful businesses are, he said.
To this end, Minister Ali advised that GNBS has been constantly working on enhancing its capacity, institutional, physical and infrastructure, “to bring ourselves up-to-date with the necessary skills, the necessary competence and necessary assets that will enable us to ensure we provide the legislative and the environmental framework through which businesses can accomplish the important objective of improving their competitiveness through standards.”
He shared the view that the GNBS has some of the best trained human resources in the Caribbean. “This is something we should be proud of, in terms of certification and in terms of their ability to provide guidance and institutional strengthening, not only to government services, but to the private sector,” he said. The minister pointed out, however, that there has not been active use by the private sector of the trained human resource skills that exist at the GNBS.
“We have made numerous attempts to take those skills out and to empower the private sector, but I think that after the National Economic Forum, we may see or we should see a revival of the private sector taking on board the skills that reside here, that we are very willing to share,” he said.
The minster also warned that the GNBS will be taking an aggressive stance in relation to the issue of ‘name and shame.’
“We are going to name the businesses that are complying with the standards set out by GNBS publicly, and we are going to encourage persons to do business only with those companies,” he said.
“We only speak on behalf of those businesses that have the corporate responsibility to ensure that they subject themselves to the rules, regulations and guidelines of the GNBS,” he said.
The previous tuck being used by GNBS was incurring huge costs to effect annual repairs and this resulted in prolonged inconvenience, especially during the verification period, when the truck would have been down for repairs.
The new test truck is capable of transporting 20,000kg test mass required to perform the testing of high capacity scales. It is equipped with a 5000 kg hoist to facilitate loading and offloading of the test mass onto the platform of the scales to aid the verification process.
The truck, in addition to providing transparency with respect to measurements within the various sectors, and addressing the needs of ISO registered companies, will provide traceability for industries operating in Guyana, and promote equity in local, regional and international trade.
It will also guarantee the safety of road and water transportation by ensuring that the scales used to weigh vehicles are verified and are accurate, and will reduce complaints received from rice farmers and other customers regarding weighing irregularities in the various sectors.
Meanwhile, the test measure will facilitate equity in trade and transparency in the petroleum sector, since it will ensure that dealers receive the correct volume purchased from petrol terminals.
The equipment was acquired from GNBS’ annual capital budgetary allocation. (GINA)
