More than 104,000 products detained at ports of entry and after inspection

The Jamaican Government has stepped up its inspection, monitoring and enforcement activities of goods coming into the island, as part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government, through the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA), has increased its vigilance since COVID-19, resulting in the detention of more than 104,000 products at the island’s ports of entry after inspection, testing and analysis.

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Audley Shaw, who made the announcement in a statement to Parliament Tuesday (February 2), said more than 176 samples have been assessed for compliance to date.

Shaw argued that the increased vigilance by the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority is taken against the background of supporting the manufacturing and export sectors, which have shown significant resilience despite the challenges that the pandemic has presented.

He said his ministry is committed to providing all the support necessary to allow these sectors to continue to recover, grow and increase contribution to gross domestic product.

Hand sanitisers under the microscope

In terms of hand sanitisers, the minister told Parliament that currently there are 68 compliant hand sanitisers now on the market.

Shaw told members of parliament (MPs) that eight importers of hand sanitisers and five local manufacturers have been registered with the NCRA.

He urged consumers to visit the website of the NCRA at www.ncra.org.jm for the list of compliant sanitiser products.

Suppliers of hand sanitisers are registered when there is compliance with conformance testing against the standard and good manufacturing practices observed.

CAC leading the charge on appropriately priced COVID testing

Shaw disclosed that the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) will be leading the charge on appropriately priced COVID testing.

“As minister, I have tasked the CAC to scan the external environment to ensure that the various testing facilities that do antigen tests, PCR tests and any other approved testing are published and that these tests are appropriately priced so that consumers have access to affordable essential medical diagnostic services,” Shaw told MPs.

He pointed out that the CAC conducted a recent market surveillance exercise for approved private sector laboratories testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Jamaica, as at January 26, 2021. The details will be published in major newspapers later this week.

According to the minister, “through the Consumer Affairs Commission, we have also taken several actions to protect our consumers. The agency has increased its market surveillance and public education. The CAC’s market surveillance was increased by 45 per cent during the period of the pandemic”.

He told the House of Representatives that there has also been increased surveillance and surveys of basic food items as a response to concerns about food access, availability and pricing. The CAC has also conducted 12 sanitation and hygiene product surveys of masks, hand sanitisers, gloves, and disinfectant antibacterial soaps for the period March to November 2020.

These surveys were published in major newspapers. The agency also conducted two computer surveys regarding the availability and price for the period October to November 2020.