Businessmen warn of Standards Bureau bottleneck
Stabroek News
July 2, 2004
Businessmen generally support the Bureau of Standards' new checks on imports that started yesterday, but worry about delays.
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards announced at a press conference last week that it had brokered an agreement with the Guyana Revenue Authority's Customs and Trade Administration to zero in on certain goods entering the country.
The system involves importers of goods under the purview of the GNBS submitting their customs entries to the bureau before these documents are sent over to Customs House.
There are 20 categories of goods that fall under the purview of the GNBS. Some of these are domestic electrical/electronic appliances; weighing and measuring devices including scales, electricity and water meters, and measuring tapes; textiles, garments, footwear, safety helmets, furniture and toys.
The President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Eddie Boyer told Stabroek Business that though he is not disputing that the move is good, it is a bureaucratic change of which the GCCI, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), and the Guyana Manufacturers' Association (GMA) were not informed.
He noted that importers and exporters should have been invited to talks with the authorities since they are stakeholders in the implementation of the process.
He said such a system would result in added costs that would eventually trickle down to consumers. A major concern would be whether the Bureau has the manpower to maintain such a system, especially heading into the second half of the year and the Christmas season, Boyer added.
Representatives from Desinco Trading Ltd. noted that importers are subject to the oversight of the Food and Drugs Administration, and the Bureau of Standards, which they are fully in agreement with.
However, lots of items are not inspected by the bureau because of a general lack of know how from the administration and because importers are not going through legitimate channels.
At Tatabu Trading Co. Ltd. a manager stated that they always bring in quality items and therefore have no problem with the implementation of the new system. He said several persons are bringing in used tyres and that these should be monitored.
Personnel in the Courts purchasing department said they were not informed of the move by GNBS and would have to deal with that issue when it happens.
At Gafoors, staff also had no knowledge of the new system. The situation was the same at Brassonics.
Director of GNBS Dr Chatterpaul Ramcharran stated that letters have been sent out to known importers and the bureau would also be publishing notices in the press shortly. He noted that contrary to what officials at Courts had said they had already started sending their import documents to the GNBS.
In response to questions about the Bureau's ability to adequately sustain such a programme, Ramcharran said inspectors would be dispatched to operate at ports.
With regard to goods that require testing, samples would be sent to the Guysuco lab. If goods cannot be inspected on the wharf then they would be released to a bond/warehouse.
He said importers would find that the system is fast because the Bureau stated that they would examine the documents and then place the required stamp "right away." Other stamps would order the goods to be held for further inspection.
He stated that if an importer is not pleased with the findings of the bureau's inspectors he/she may first appeal to the Director of the Bureau, then the subject Minister in the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and in the final instance an appeal may be made to the Chairman of the National Standards Council who will do a final investigation and make a ruling.