THE Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), on Monday, opened its door to the people of Region Seven, with a new sub-office located in the town of Bartica at the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC) Administrative Office.

This will result in the expansion of core services to the residents of Region Seven. Officers of the bureau will now be stationed in the mining town to provide inspection services and testing of concrete hollow blocks along with the verification of scales and masses.

The simple ceremony held at the office located in the compound of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) was attended by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond; Regional Chairman, Kenneth Williams and Executive Director (ag) of the GNBS, Ramrattie Karan.

Minister Walrond, in brief remarks, noted that the establishment of the new office will eliminate the need to travel long distances to access core services offered by the national standards body. This, she added, will make doing business easier which is high on the Government’s agenda.

“No longer is there a need to journey to Georgetown or for the GNBS to journey to Bartica to inspect products, complete registrations, verify fuel pumps, etc. Now, put that into a contextual perspective and examine the cost and time-saving elements. A trip to Georgetown amounts to no less than $7,000. That does not include food, accommodation, and other costs. In some cases, you may have to make several trips. This might have meant closing business or redirecting your productive time during your sojourn to the capital. I am happy to usher in this new era, where you can stay right in Bartica, save your money, save your time and still access these critical services,” she outlined.

With its firm mandate, the GNBS is the leading agency responsible for standards, quality, and measurements which today are necessary aspects of trade.
Minister Walrond pointed out that “we all are desirous of accurate measurements for goods purchased, and our expectation is value for money…. These aspects are imperatives for business competitiveness and the boosting of consumer confidence. Therefore, the establishment of this office continues along the trajectory of establishing standards for the provision of goods and services in our nation.”

SERIOUS ABOUT BUSINESS
She noted that the opening of the GNBS’ sub-office in Bartica is a practical demonstration that this administration is serious about business development in Guyana. She said this location is intended to convey that residents in rural Guyana or the outlying areas should in no way feel disadvantaged or disconnected from opportunities available to the rest of the country.
The office will benefit a wide range of businesses. The minister said the Government is keen on facilitating more active involvement of the small business sector.

Further, she said the opening positions all businesses in Bartica to have access to national standards that have become obligatory if they want to compete with international companies.
Acting Executive Director of the Bureau, Ramrattie Karan, in her address to the gathering, pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions on travelling have reinforced the importance of decentralising the services of the bureau.

With this new office, the GNBS now has a total of six sub-offices across the country; the others are in Anna Regina (Region Two), Vreed-En-Hoop (Region Three), New Amsterdam and Skeldon (Region Six) and Lethem (Region Nine).

Karan also thanked the Regional Administration for the provision of the office space and other amenities at the RDC for this new office.
She added that going forward, it is expected that more local manufacturers and dealers will be registered with the GNBS, more measuring devices verified including those in the outlying communities, more products and services inspected and certified, and transactions that are more efficient conducted between the GNBS and the stakeholders in Region Seven.

According to Head of the Legal Metrology Services at the Bureau, Shailendra Rai, residents of Region Seven will now be able to access verification of scales used in markets, supermarkets, clinics, shops and hospitals.

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman, Kenneth Williams in his remarks welcomed the GNBS to Bartica.
“Bartica is on the rise, Region Seven is on the rise and it is because of that, offices like this are important to all stakeholders,” he noted.

Also attending the event were Regional Vice-Chairman, Nageshwarie Persaud; Mayor, Gifford Marshall; Deputy Mayor, Aretha Embelton; and Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Dion Moore, among others. (GNBS)