GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) says it has noted an increase in the number of counterfeit, expired, and inappropriately labeled goods being sold here and is worried about retailers and supermarket owners’ non-compliance with laws and regulations.
In a statement, the GCCI called on the Bureau of Standards and the Analyst Food and Drug Department to ensure that an investigation is conducted and that products found contravening the laws and regulations are removed from the shelves and prohibited from sale.
The private sector group said it is also calling on the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), through its Customs Department, to ensure that all goods cleared after import meet regulatory requirements.
The Bureau of Standards and the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department would occasionally carry out raids at various businesses to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.
“Notably, too, there is a need for a closer examination of adherence to tax laws by those businesses to ensure equal application of the rule of law for all enterprises operating in this industry.
“Similarly, the Chamber calls for the labor laws to be respected. The GCCI is calling on the Ministry of Labour to ensure that those businesses are in complaint with the Labour Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and other pertinent labor laws,” it added.
The GCCI said it is willing to provide ”its full support to the government of Guyana in the investigation of non-compliant businesses and the penalization of violations.”
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