Guyana’s National Quality Infrastructure at the level of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), has been significantly strengthened with the help of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
With financing and support from the IDB, the GNBS rolled out a US$17 million National Quality Infrastructure Project in 2016. It was designed to address longstanding gaps in the country’s national quality infrastructure, including laboratory facilities, equipment, technical expertise and international accreditation.
The project was also geared towards strengthening the capacity of the GNBS and other institutions. Ten years later, the project has now been completed.
At an exit project workshop on Monday, GNBS Executive Director, Trevor Bassoo said the through the project, the GNBS has been able to significantly improve its laboratory infrastructure, and has expanded its technical capabilities.
“The department now has a dedicated laboratory for calibrating large weights alongside a volume metric laboratory for calibrating large instrument. These facilities strengthen our ability to support clients whose operations and commercial transactions depend on accurate measurements. Dedicated spaces have also been allocated to platinum resistance thermometer calibration and also for time and frequency calibration,” Bassoo said.
Additionally, spaces have been allocated for the calibration of platinum resistance thermometers and for time and frequency calibration with the necessary equipment already procured.
Bassoo said prior to the construction of the National Quality Infrastructure Department, the Bureau’s laboratories faced significant limitations, including insufficient space, unsuitable environmental conditions due to the use of container laboratories, limited calibration and testing capacity, and inadequate equipment.
These challenges also made it difficult to maintain international accreditation.
Noting that the responsibilities of the GNBS in standards, metrology, testing, conformity assessment, certification and technical assistance directly support businesses in producing quality goods and services, and comply with national and international requirements, Bassoo said the improved facilities augur well for National Quality Infrastructure in the country.
Meanwhile, the IDB Chief Executive Officer, Ivan Gavira, said he was pleased to see the evolution of the project and its positive impact on the country’s National Quality Infrastructure.
“In particular the rapid expansion of the oil and gas sector created opportunities for domestic suppliers and SMEs to participate in emerging value chains. It was against this backdrop that the project was reformulated in 2022…and through it all nobody lost focus,” Gavira said.
More than 6,000 stakeholders participated in training and capacity-building activities of the project over the past ten years.
Additionally, the Bureau’s industrial metrology services increased by approximately 230% between 2019 and 2025, with further growth already evident in 2026.
The project has also supported laboratories operated by the Government Analyst–Food and Drug Department, the Guyana Rice Development Board, the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, and the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory.
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