The GNBS today hosted a forum to commemorate World Accreditation Day 2018 at the National Library Conference Room. The Forum was held under the theme chosen by International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC): ‘Accreditation – Delivering a Safer World’. In attendance were representatives for public and private organisations and laboratories. At the forum, Ms. Candelle Walcott Bostwick, Executive Director of the GNBS emphasized the need for more companies, especially laboratories to work towards complying with requirements of international standards. She also highlighted the huge costs incurred annually due to Occupational Safety and Health accidents and incidents globally and encouraged public and private businesses to adopt practices to reduce those costs. Meanwhile, Mr. Desmond Roberts from Perfection Services Limited of Trinidad and Tobago in his presentation provided an overview of his organisation as a ISO/IEC: 17020 Accredited Inspection Body. Mr. Roberts alluded to the need for transparency in the conduct of inspections, especially when a company is accredited. The third presentation was made by Mr. Earl Morris, Chair of the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health who provided an overview of the situation in Guyana as it relates to OSH. He implored more companies to begin to conform to the requirements of standards relating to OSH as he believes that conformance demonstrates that they are capable of offering key services to the up and coming oil and gas (energy) sector. Ms. Rodlyn Semple concluded the presentations as she highlighted the role of the GNBS as the National Accreditation Focal Point. Ms. Semple encouraged local companies to tap into the free services offered by the NAFP. Approximately forty participants attended the half day event.
World Accreditation Day Forum
