GNBS to promote metrification for CWC
Kaieteur News
January 12, 2007
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) will be mounting efforts to encourage the use of metric units as Cricket World Cup (CWC) draws near.
Head of the Bureau, Dr. Chatterpaul Ramcharran made this disclosure during a press conference yesterday where he outlined the Bureau's achievements last year and highlighted its plans and projections for 2007.
Ramcharran expressed hope that the metric system would be optimally utilised during CWC, and informed that the Bureau will be working closely with the Local Organising Committee to ensure that all stakeholders conform to its use.
According to Ramcharran, a Bill is currently engaging the attention of the Attorney General which is intended to enforce the use of the system.
The Bureau Head told media operatives that while the Bureau was successful in carrying out its mandate last year, efforts will be boosted to regulate standards which are mainly geared at protecting consumers and meeting international specifications.
Among the Bureau's primary objectives this year, is ensuring that people make greater use of metric units in their everyday operations.
According to Ramcharran, although the use of metric units has been mandatory in Guyana for some time now, a number of businesses have not been adhering to the specifications.
As such, Ramcharran disclosed that his entity streamlined some 80 visits last year to various sectors where senior management operatives were targeted for their support. This, the Bureau head noted, was intended to determine training needs and the status of metrification; review existing legislation; preparing a work plan for implementation of metrification, and provide assistance for such implementation.
In light of this, more than 1000 persons from 33 organisations were in receipt of metrification training during the course of last year, Ramcharran noted.
These, he said, included Regulatory Agencies, Government Ministries, Private Securities, Educational Institutions, Local Manufacturers, Advertising Agencies, Media Houses and Non-Governmental Organisations.
The commercial and retail sectors were also lined-up for training, and according to Ramcharran, several visits were made to shops, stores, stalls and supermarkets countrywide where one-on-one discussions were held and practical demonstrations of the metric system conducted.
Additionally, Ramcharran mentioned that the daily newspapers, radio and television programmes were screened for misuse of metric units. Sixty-nine (69) letters and 18 telephone calls were made in this regard.