Last Friday, a team of Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) Inspectors, accompanied by Ranks of the Guyana Police force (GPF) engaged in a market surveillance exercise to seize and remove defective and unapproved devices in use. This exercise was conducted at the Stabroek and Bourda Markets where there seems to be the pervasive use of the unapproved dial scales. As a result, 50 dial scales, which were not approved for commercial trade, were seized and removed from vendors.
For quite a while, the GNBS has been advising vendors and shopkeepers to desist from using the domestic dial scales, which were not designed for the rigors of commercial use. These scales easily become inaccurate and result in vendors selling short-weighed goods to consumers.
The GNBS has encouraged vendors and shopkeepers to only use the recommended metric devices, which include the metric red equal arm scales and masses, metric platform scales, approved dial scales and electronic scales. Approved scales can be purchased from hardware stores in the city and from business locations across the country.
Vendors, shopkeepers and other users of weighing and measuring devices in trade who have not yet submitted their devices for stamping for the second half of the year are encouraged to do so before the end of September 2021.
Meanwhile, the GNBS continues to urge consumers to avoid making purchases from vendors and shopkeepers selling with the unapproved devices. This sensitization effort will continue.
Last Friday’s exercise was conducted directly in response to the widespread use of the unapproved scales observed by the GNBS in many markets and other retail outlets. To maintain accuracy of measurements in commerce, the GNBS plans to expand its surveillance campaign for the rest of the year to seize and remove unverified and unapproved devices in use.
