-President Ali, emphasises that every investment is part of a clear, strategic plan

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali has emphasised the critical role of Guyana’s local content legislation and standardisation in the country’s development.

His comments came on the heels of the commissioning of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Laboratory earlier this week, when President Ali stressed investments like these are being made done with a clear strategic plan.

He said: “It’s an important aspect of the evolution of the local content [law], it’s not accidental. Policy making is integrated into all aspects of national life, so local content is not in isolation of this. It complements each other.”
The Head of State pointed out greater standardisation and standards allow for greater productivity.

“We now come to the local content legislation, fully certified with the standard to take this forward,” he said.

The new laboratory will carry with it – accreditation that allows local products to fit into international markets.

The Head of State said: “International marketplace requires this foundational investment. So the economy requires standards. We have to be able to set those standards, educate the population and investors about the standards.”

The new facility, he further explained, will bridge the existing gaps businesses in Guyana face contend with, especially when assessing their capabilities to negotiating deals.

“We’re investing in a facility that will allow you to bridge that gap so that you will not be put at a negotiating disadvantage, or that you will not be placed in a position where you can lose partnership opportunity because you’re operating at a different level. So international partnership, this is also an important aspect of the local content legislation,” the President said.

He noted that the GNBS was among several key agencies that were necessary in the transformation, competitiveness and diversification of Guyana’s economy.

“As we move into manufacturing, industrial development, agro-processing, we have to be able to have in-house capacity, in-country capacity, and capability to do the testing, to do the accreditation of the products,” the Head of State said, adding : “This lab at this facility will carry with it the international accreditation that allows our local product[s] to fit into international market[s] by having accreditation here locally.”

Testing will be a crucial component of the facility, as it ensures there are measurable indicators for validation. There is a need for a reliable method of verification, and the facility will support these verification processes.

Testing plays a significant role and when everything aligns, it provides products with a competitive advantage in the market. By adhering to top standards, obtaining certification will see the elevation of Guyanese products, which also serves as a form of branding.

“When you have certain ISO standards attached to your product, its branding is telling you your product is consistent with any other global product in this line, because you carry the same branding,” Dr. Ali said.

He added: “If we are viewed as a destination, as a country that upholds the highest standard, then it helps our brand.”

According to Dr. Ali, the government is also simultaneously investing in the human-resource capacity of the GNBS.

The new laboratory will be instrumental in supporting this diversification by providing crucial services to a range of industries.

The facility which was funded by a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will see the verification of blood pressure monitors, MPG meters, and sound-level meters.

It will also provide testing services for construction materials, ensuring the strength and integrity of buildings, which is crucial for the country’s development.