The Dominica Bureau of Standards (DBOS) recently held an informative session with local media houses and did a tour of its National Centre of Testing Excellence (NCTF) laboratories.
During the visit, facilitated last Wednesday, the media got a sense of what goes on inside the organization’s labs and viewed the equipment that is being used to conduct various conformance testing and specialized consumer-based testing for chemicals, food, and material products including acidity/alkalinity, protein content, contaminants, fat content alcohol content, and reactivity.
The DBOS NCTF is divided into two main Laboratories. This includes the Micro-Biology and Chemistry Laboratories with capabilities in Water, food, soil, and plant Analysis.
The Bureau of Standards Inspection and Certification Units reviews the labels, ingredient list, and nutrition declaration for your packaged products. The NCTE Laboratory food technologists and chemists provide regulatory support to ensure that your labels are in line with standard consumer requirements.
“For water quality monitoring, we offer multiple techniques for the analysis of drinking water, surface water, groundwater, and wastewater. We provide for high-quality water testing and consultations…We deliver a chemical and nutritional analysis service including a full analysis of your products, helping which enables you to comply with the National Labeling Requirements. We can also assist with specialized testing for organic food, food authenticity, and food products,” Technical Manager of the NCTE, Ian Lambert stated.
Soil analysis is fundamental in understanding your soil. The NCTE Lab provides a detailed analysis report to form the basis for specific soil fertility enhancements required to correct physical or chemical soil imbalances.
“Our Chemist can measure your soil’s ability to supply essential nutrients and quantify important factors, including pH, nutrient deficiencies, toxicities, or organic matter content.”
“Plant analysis, while not a magical tool, is a wonderful aid when used with a current soil test and good field scouting. The key [to] plant analysis is becoming familiar with it and using it regularly. Detective work on obvious problems in fields is only one way [that] plant analysis is used. Plant analysis s a great way to “confirm” your production system for example fertilizer rate, placement, and tillage,” he added.
Recently, a metrology lab was commissioned on September 14, 2022, with an equipment cost of approximately $120,000 Euros.
Meantime, Technical Officer for Quality National Certification Unit (NCU), Heinrich Anselm spoke about the NCU which is the legal entity responsible for certification activities within the DBOS.
Certification is formal third-party evidence/proof that a product, process, or service is fit for purpose and ensures that it meets standard (National, Regional, International, etc.) requirements, facilitates trading activities, ensures that consumers receive value for money, and for quality assurance.
Anselm stated that the NCU was established in 2018 for the development and implementation of certification schemes for processes, products, systems, and personnel.
“The scheme is a set of rules and procedures designed to assess processes, products, systems, and personnel for certification in five major areas which are: Dominica National Farm Certification Scheme – DOM-GAP, Dominica National Pack-house Certification Scheme, Good Manufacturing Practices Recognition Certification Scheme, Biodegradable Certification Scheme and Certificate of Free Sale.”
He added that the Dominica National Farm Certification scheme is part of the ‘Fresh Produce Trade Enhancement Program’ – A Program aimed at improving the regional and international market competitiveness of fresh produce exports from the Commonwealth of Dominica.
“It targets agriculture stakeholders for the certification of agricultural produce, farms, packing sheds, processes and systems, against internationally recognized fresh produce standards such as GLOBAL G.A.P/DOMGAP.”
Dominica National Pack-house Certification Scheme aims to assist fresh produce packing house owners/managers/operators to achieve compliance with minimum requirements for processing fresh produce.
The Good Manufacturing Practices Recognition Certification Scheme targets all manufacturers and agro-processors supplying both the local and foreign markets and involves certification of processes, facilities, and management against Good Manufacturing Practices.
The Biodegradable Certification Scheme was developed in January of 2019, to facilitate a ban instituted by the Government of Dominica on ‘single use’ plastic materials and Styrofoam and is geared at protecting the environment from excessive use of Styrofoam and plastic materials.
“The main function of this program is to investigate and monitor biodegradable products being imported into the country to ensure that they conform with the requirements stipulated in the scheme.”
Anselm noted that the ‘Certificate of Free Sale ‘also known as ‘Certificate of Export’ or ‘Certificate to Foreign Government’ was issued upon request to local manufacturers or companies exporting pre-packaged foods and goods produced in Dominica.
“It assures foreign importers and distributors that the product(s) listed on the certificate are sold locally and meet legal/national standard requirements for local sale and export.”
Lè y bon di y bon. Sa byen bon Dominik!
Commendation to the Dominica Bureau Of Standards for being so transparent. Our whole governance should be one of transparency. It is the antidote to corruption and controversy.
Despite the efforts of the DBOS, I firmly believe that the consumers of Dominica are at serious risk as wholesalers and retailers are strictly motivated by profit, and flaunt the laws, rules and regulations.
DBOS you are on the right path. Continue to be transparent but ensure that those who are charged with enforcement do just that.