… Consumers Bill to enhance business sectorThe Consumers Affairs Bill which was recently passed in the National Assembly will enhance the way goods and services are sold and bought. It is set to also guide businesses to inculcate standards in their business practices, and also aid jewelers to standardize the sector, according to Minister of Tourism and Commerce Manniram Prashad.Reently,Jerseys Wholesale, gold jewelry manufactures in collaboration with the Gold Board, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) and Commerce Minister Manniram Prashad met recently following several complaints of poor quality jewellery being sold by some businesses.Also at that meeting were Acting Executive Director of the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), Ms. Evadnie Enniss;? Manager of Geological Services of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Kampta Persaud; and General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board, Antram Balram; as well as several reputable jewelers.The absence of many of the jewelers was noted at the event.According to GNBS technical operator,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Abidin Mohamed, the specification for gold article are standardized under (GYS: 50:2010) and (CRS: 17:2010) which are all regional standards.He explained that independent testings are done by the GNBS and through a quality control system,Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale, while audits are done through the jewelers establishment randomly with surveillance audits within the year of the stipulated license to evaluate if there is compliance with the standards.Mohamed noted that there would be higher customer satisfaction when the standards mark is on the jewel and confidence in their purchase leading to reduced complaints.Noting that the jewel products will be accepted regionally, Mohamed said the company can gain a marketing edge over its competitors.Dominic Gaskin of Topaz Jewelery said that the scheme was to be a part of a larger developmental process and because there was a lack of a strategic plan to develop the jewel industry. However, the certification scheme is now being used to certify retailers.He added that retailers would purchase from several other jewelers who might not be certified and as such reduced quality would slip through the system.“Then the scheme has no value.” Gaskin acknowledged that he would support a separate scheme for retailers.Acting Executive Director of the GNBS, Evadnie Enniss, however denied that the scheme caters for retailers that it only caters for manufacturers while each manufacture should purchase to know of the standards regulations.According to Minster Prashad the jewelers should band together and form their own standard in a group and collaborate with the GNBS.He urged jewelers to embrace the Product Certification Scheme by the GNBS and confirm to the National Standards Mark to ensure the quality of the gold jewellery manufactured and sold.The Minister expressed his concerns regarding unscrupulous dealers selling substandard jewellery to customers and stated the need to weed out such practices through standardization in products.Minister Prashad assured that his Ministry remains committed to protecting the consuming public from unscrupulous dealers and will be looking into the matter seriously.The Tourism Minister noted that as Guyana is becoming a known tourist destination, poor quality gold jewellery sold on the local market could have a negative impact on the manufacturers of gold jewellery and on the image of our destination.Minister Prashad said that it is in the interest of the businesses to make sure they have quality products,Cheap NBA Jerseys USA, noting that only two businesses at present,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, have the National Standards Mark.The Consumers Affairs Bill 2011 will equip his Ministry to better serve and protect the rights of consumers,NFL Jerseys China, he added.