Tough sanctions coming for makers of sub-standard blocks

Director of the Regulatory Division at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), Orline Henry, is sounding a warning to block makers who make sub-standard blocks.

She says the agency will be taking steps to impose tough sanctions for non-compliance.

Earlier this month, the BSJ announced that on average, as many as seven out of every ten hollow concrete blocks it tested had failed to meet the minimum required standard.

Speaking at a press conference this morning Henry said the agency had no choice, but to target block makers who refuse to take steps to improve the quality of their product.

She told journalists that the BSJ has been providing technical assistance to block makers who approach the agency seeking to improve the quality of their blocks as well as applying for certification.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Fair Trading Commission, David Miller, says consumers who purchase inferior blocks can seek redress through the courts.

He says the commission is willing to assist persons who have discovered that they purchased faulty blocks which may pose a risk to their property.