CATEGORY : EDUCATIONAL
----------------------

By S. Gordon

In order to understand the role and functions of the Grenada Bureau of Standards, it is necessary to examine the history of standards and standardization.

The history of standards goes back into antiquity. Most engineers and scientists who use standards today believe that standards are invention of the industrial age. That’s not the case!

If one reads the Bible, in Genesis the lord instructed Noah to make thee an ark from resinous wood sealing it with wood and dimension given. Today, we would call it a standard specification for an ark. But this is only one of a number of standards found in the Bible. For example, Moses received a standard for the Ark of the Covenant, and then Solomon an entire building code for the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem.

Later, with the development of international trade and travel, arose a need to measure weights and length. This need forced measurement standards such as a yard – the distance between the king’s nose and the point of his middle finger on his outstretched arm.. But there were big kings and little kings, so while there were measurement standards, the “uniformity” varied.

The first national organization for standardization was set up in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the century.

During the first decade of the current 20th century saw the establishment of several standardization bodies in the U.S, such as, the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), just to name a few making standardization an organized and on-going effort for industrial applications.

Later, with improved facilities for the transportation of goods, both by road and rail, resulted in an increase in the market demand for industrial products. This necessitated the development of standards for testing and inspection. All these resulted in the establishment of national standards bodies in many countries of Western Europe through the collective effort of engineers and professionals.


In the English Speaking Caribbean, organized attempts at standardization began with the formation of CARIFTA in 1967. The perceived increase in the exchange of goods and services between the participating countries led to a call by Carifta Council of Ministers for the establishment of the “Bureaux of Standards” in all countries.

With the formation of CARICOM, work on the establishment of Standard bodies in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad were intensified and this culminated with the establishment of the Jamaica Bureau of Standards (JBS) in 1968, the Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI) in 1973 and the Trinidad & Tobago Bureau of Standards in 1974.

Later, in 1976, the Caribbean Common Market Standards Council the (CCMSC) was established by the Caricom Council Members as an Advisory Body to the Council on standards and standard-related matters.

One of the functions of the CCMSC was to assist in the development of Standards Bureaux in those countries where no such bodies exist.

As a result, the CCMSC initiated the Caricom Technical Standardization Assistance Project for OECS countries in 1982, as part of a Canada Caricom Agreement. Part of this project involved a study of the Organization and Design of Standard Units for Antigua & Barbuda, St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

This culminated with the formation of Standards Bureaux in Antigua in 1988, Grenada in 1989 and St. Lucia in 1990. Before this, however, the Belize Bureau of Standards was established in 1983 with the assistance from the Standards Council of Canada and the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNDS) in 1985. Presently, standards institutions exist in all CARICOM countries, with the exception of Montserrat.

In our next edition we will look at the mandate of the Grenada Bureau of Standards

Motto: “Standards mean Quality”


Mandate of the Grenada Bureau of Standards

The Grenada Bureau of Standards is a statutory Corporation responsible to the Minister of Trade and Industry.

It administers the following acts and the supporting regulations under these acts:

- Standards Act No. 6 (1989)
- The Weights and Measures Act which is the Metrology Act (1997)
- The Exportation of Fresh Produce Act (1998)


The Bureau is responsible for:

(a) the preparation of national standards;

(b) the promotion of the adoption and application of national standards at all levels of
the country;

(c) the monitoring of the quality of foreign and locally manufactured products sold in
the domestic market;

(d) the promotion of quality control in the industry;

(e) disseminating information on standards and related technical matters both nationally
and internationally;
(f) the certification of products, commodities and processes which conform to national
standards.

In addition, the Bureau

(i) undertakes tests for industries;

(ii) offers technological advice and consultancy services to industries;

(iii) represents the nation in international and regional standards work.



You can send an e-mail to gdbs@spiceisle.com to request more information.