Guyana standards bureau destroys more than 22,000 cigarette packets and electrical items

GEORGETOWN, Guyana. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) says it has seized and destroyed more than 22,000 packets of cigarettes and electrical items this year after they failed to meet mandatory national standards for safety and labelling.

The bureau said its Product Compliance Department seized more than 12,000 packets of cigarettes from dealers in Regions Three, Four and Six for breaches of the Tobacco Control Act of 2017.

The cigarettes, including brands such as Atlanta Switch, Darkis, Atlanta Blue, Virginia Type, Maxmillian and Carnival, were found to be inadequately labelled. The shortcomings included the absence of pictorial health warnings covering more than 60 per cent of the package, manufacturing dates, batch numbers and the required marking "For sale in Guyana only".

Electrical goods

The agency also seized 10,366 non-compliant electrical fittings and pieces of equipment during surveillance in Regions Three and Four. They included wires, cables, lamp holders, circuit breakers, extension cords, power outlets, receptacles, knife switches and plugs.

According to the GNBS, the products failed labelling requirements, with some lacking certification marks, country of origin information or manufacturers' names. Others were incorrectly labelled or had no labels at all.

Dealers and importers were given 21 days to provide test certificates, declarations of conformity and other documents after the goods were placed on hold. When the documents were not submitted, the items were seized and destroyed.

The GNBS has monitored electrical fittings and equipment under 31 mandatory national standards since February 2020. It said the enforcement action was part of its mandate under the Standards Act of 1984 to remove unsafe, defective and improperly labelled products from the market.

Christmas warning

With the Christmas shopping season approaching, the agency is urging importers and dealers to make sure their products meet national standards. It warned that substandard electrical products could pose safety risks, including a higher likelihood of electrical fires.

The bureau also encouraged importers to offer manufacturers' warranties and make sure customers receive timely redress for defective products.