BNSI lab fees ‘to go up’

The Barbados National Standards Institute (BNSI) is to raise the fees for its laboratory services, Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce Dwight Sutherland has said.

He gave notice of this increase as he was wrapping up his submission in the House of Assembly Tuesday during the sitting on the Appropriation Bill.

He declared: “I am signalling to the private sector and those persons who ultilise the wonderful institution that will be coming at you some time, once approved by our Cabinet, for an increase for the testing of what I call critical standards.”

The Minister described the prices, which were in place for the past 20 years, as relatively cheap.

Sutherland said: “These tests are roughly $130 dollars for aggregate crushing testing. When we do testing of balls for Mega Six that is $74 dollars for Double Draw it is $65.

“These are the same prices that have been going on for 20 years in a very lucrative industry.

“I don’t think we will be asking anything unfair from those businesses in terms of if we raise those prices. Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI) once approved by Cabinet will be coming for a price increase for those critical service.”

The small business Minister explained that over 2,000 tests were done by the BNSI annually.

He added: “We are at a stage whereby BNSI is part of the Barbados National Standards Institution restructuring. Presently we conduct some 2,340 tests at BNSI.

“These tests they range from aggregate testing ranging from weight crushing to testing of balls for Mega Six and also Double Draw.”

Sutherland continued: “We have had these prices for testing over some 20 years and I am signalling to the public and signalling to the private sector that the time has come for us to review our pricing regime as it relates to BNSI laboratory testing.

“We cannot sit down for 20 years and allow BNSI which in my view should be a self-sufficient in some areas for us to carry these small prices for testing over 2,340 on an annual basis.”