WITH local businesses and organisations striving to implement the requirements of national and international standards to gain competitive advantage, increase consumer confidence and cost savings, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) is at the forefront of offering this support.
Through its Technical Assistance Programme, the bureau works with businesses to implement the requirements of a number of standards, in preparation for certification and accreditation.

The GNBS Business Development Department has a team of qualified Technical Officers who have the training and experience necessary to help clients move their operations and business opportunities to the next level with standards.
According to the GNBS, during the provision of this crucial support, officers provide training to employees of clients on the requirements of the standard and assist them in developing the necessary documentation and systems to fulfill the requirements.

This guidance and support will remove doubt and delays during implementation, while also ensuring that employees are fully equipped to maintain the certification or accreditation.
The bureau stated that once there is continuous commitment from companies desirous of technical assistance, the duration usually ranges from six to 12 months and follows a step-by-step approach.

The first step requires a company to fill out and submit a Technical Assistance application form which can be provided by GNBS or accessed on its website: www.gnbsgy.org. On submission, the completed form is reviewed, and Technical Officer(s) are assigned to work with the company. The initial engagement includes the preparation of a proposal including cost, time span for the completion of the programme and details of the processes.
It explained that when both parties agree to the proposal and sign the document, the Technical Assistance Programme commences with an Awareness Session. The GNBS said it then undertakes a gap analysis of the company to assess what systems need to be developed or what needs to be modified.

Additionally, on completion, a report is compiled, and the findings are reviewed and discussed with the company followed by the development of an implementation plan with details of how the programme will be executed.
Also included in the implementation plan are periods set aside for training on the requirements of the standard, documentation, hands-on implementation, and finally a pre-assessment of the system developed.

Technical assistance is also offered to businesses pursuing the GNBS ‘Made in Guyana’ certification mark programme, the Laboratory Certification programme and the GYS 901 Certification programme.
With regards to international standards, the GNBS offers technical assistance on the ISO 9001 Quality Management System standard, the ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety standard, the ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System standard, the ISO/IEC 17020 Inspection Management System standard, the ISO 15189 Medical Laboratories- Requirements for Quality and Competence, the ISO 14001 Environmental Management standard, the ISO/ IEC 17025 General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System (HACCP) requirements.

In January, the GNBS hosted a one-day stakeholder engagement session in collaboration with the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) under the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Quality Infrastructure Programme, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). Together, these organisations and the GNBS, embarked on the development of a National Standardisation Strategy (NSS).

As a national standards body, the GNBS is a key partner in the adoption, development and implementation of national, regional and international standards in Guyana.

Over the last year alone, 33 national standards were approved for the agriculture, tourism, petroleum and other sectors. Additionally, 210 copies of more than 600 available standards were sold for implementation by various industry partners during 2024.
In 2022, the CROSQ revised its standardisation strategy, the regional standards development priority plan. This plan seeks to guide the direction of regional standards development work over the next few years and to ensure that we manage the expectation of Member States and provide a basis for efficient and effective resource utilisation.

For reliable and effective technical assistance, the public is encouraged to contact the GNBS Business Development Team on telephone number 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp them on +592-692-4627. Persons can also visit the GNBS Facebook and Instagram pages for regular updates.