The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has commenced the second period of verification (mobile stamping) for 2023 which will see Inspectors checking all weighing and measuring instruments used at markets, shops, and other retail outlets countrywide. Verification of measuring instruments is done twice per year (every six months) to ensure accuracy in trade.
Conducting routine verification ensures consistency and certainty in measurement that support fair and accurate trade. In the realm of trade, accurate measurements play a crucial role in business, including manufacturing and commerce.
Verification guarantees that instruments are functioning well to safeguard retailers from incurring losses due to the use of defective and inaccurate weighing and measuring instruments while also protecting consumers from short weight and measure during purchases. To maintain the highest standards of precision and reliability, it is vital to periodically verify weighing and measuring instruments which include scales, masses, measures, storage tanks, flow meters, measuring rules, electricity meters and petrol pumps.
As such, by virtue of the 1981 Weights & Measures Act, the GNBS is mandated to verify all measuring instruments used in trade. All verification and monitoring activities are managed by the GNBS Legal Metrology Services Department and are conducted by trained and experienced Inspectors of the Main and Sub-Offices, and Weights and Measures Officers within the Administrative Regions.
During the first half of the year, the GNBS successfully verified a total of 15,569 weighing and measuring instruments at various shops, markets, supermarkets, at factories in the rice and sugar industries, fisheries, manufacturing companies, hospitals, health centres, airlines, shipping companies, post offices, petrol stations, bulk terminals and on fuel vessels. Measuring instruments verified included 6,206 masses, 4,129 scales and 3,961 electricity meters for the Guyana Power and Light Corporation.
After successfully verifying these measuring instruments, the GNBS Inspector affixes an approval seal to the measuring instrument. The blue and yellow approval seal is usually placed in a manner which makes it visible to consumers. The GNBS encourages consumers to look for the approval seals when making purchases.
Additionally, vendors, shopkeepers and other users of weighing and measuring instruments who continue to use the unapproved dial scales for trade, are being reminded that the GNBS does not verify these scales. They were not designed for commercial use and consumers should avoid buying from users of these domestic measuring instruments. Alternatively, the red equal arm scales and the electronic/digital scales are among the instruments approved for use in trade.
Mobile verification for the second half of 2023 commenced on Saturday, July 08 at the Rosignol Market on the West Bank of Berbice followed by the Sisters Health Centre and Bath Market later in the week. Verification will continue in the week of July 17 at municipal markets in the city. Advertisements indicating the schedule for mobile stamping will be published in local newspapers, radio, television and the GNBS Facebook page.
Finally, the onus is on users to submit measuring instruments for verification. It is important that all instruments be fully metric, and be well painted and clean when they are submitted for stamping.
