| – anticipates improvement of water qualityIn a strategic move intended to help improve the safety of water, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) was last year able to finalize and sign a crucial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department.This as a result, paved the way for GNBS to adopt two standards – the Caricom Regional Standard – GYS 12 ‘Specification for packaged water’ and the Caricom Regional Code of Practice – GCP 29 for ‘Packaged Water’.Ms Candelle Bostwick-Walcott; Head Conformity Assessment Unit, GNBSThis strategic move came as a result of a number of complaints relating to local water processing activities which amplified the need for GNBS to expand its product certification services. At least this is according to Head of the Conformity Assessment Unit at GNBS, Ms. Candelle Bostwick-Walcott. She, while speaking at a sensitization meeting for local water processors venued at the Regency Suites/Hotel on Thursday last, explained that moves to certify water processors will ensure that the processing facilities are conforming to recognized standards and also meeting the requirements of the Food and Drug Department. This by extension Bostwick-Walcott said will help to improve the quality of packaged water available on the local market.She disclosed that efforts to collaborate with the Food and Drug Department had in fact started back in 2009. This saw several meetings being held over the years to streamline the resulting MOU and also to have the standards available.The MOU, according to the Conformity Assessment Officer, makes reference to the two Caricom standards which were agreed upon mutually as the criteria for the Product Certification Scheme and the Food and Drug licensing process.In fact the MOU states that water processors certified under the Product Certification Scheme are producing water meeting the requirements of the GYS 12 standard, GCP 29 and the Food and Drug Act and Regulations. As such it is mandatory that the operations of water processing facilities are monitored for adherence.Moreover, it is also outlined in the MOU that the Food and Drug Department must ensure compliance to the Food and Drug Act and Regulations and certify the water processors annually while the GNBS ensures compliance of water processors to the GNBS Product Certification Scheme. Added to this, the GNBS is also tasked with ensuring that the costs incurred to perform tests on the water samples are paid by the clients in the annual certification fees, and indicate the tests conducted on the Permit (Certificate) issued to the client by the GNBS.This Permit, Bostwick-Walcott said, must be displayed at the registered locations. She disclosed too that the GNBS, as part of its mandate, is expected to grant permission to water processors to use the GNBS Mark once their product confirms to the required standards.The National Standards Mark, she said,Cheap Throwback NBA Jerseys, will be printed on the label of the packaged water once the requirements for Certification are met.And in order to ensure that this programme is effectively implemented, joint training programmes and sensitization sessions on the standard and the code of practice will be hosted by the two parties, Bostwick-Walcott said. This, she noted, will be done with a view of ensuring that the water processors are encouraged to participate in the Product Certification Scheme.As such the meeting on Thursday last signified the first step towards the implementation of the MOU between the Food and Drug Department and the GNBS, said Bostwick-Walcott. “It is anticipated that the water processors, especially those selling packaged water, take advantage of this opportunity to implement standards within their processing facilities,” urged the GNBS Representative.Currently Bostwick-Walcott functions in the capacity of National Accreditation Focal Point (NAFP) and according to her since “water quality is a global issue the World Health Organisation, among other Public Health organizations, are making efforts to mitigate this issue.”In alluding to the World Accreditation day held in June 2012, she pointed out that the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) both sought to embrace the theme “Accreditation- Supporting safe food and clean drinking water” to emphasise the role that water quality is of vital importance to the world’s population. |
