—order assigns monitoring roles to GEA, GNBS after earlier concerns over regulatory gap
Compulsory standards governing cooking-gas cylinders and low-pressure regulators will be enforced from April 1, 2027, under an order assigning monitoring responsibilities to the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).
Order No. 189 of 2026, signed by Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Susan Rodrigues on October 15 and published in the October 24 Official Gazette, declares the two standards compulsory.
Its schedule assigns the GEA responsibility for monitoring GYS 264, covering LPG cylinders and their storage, handling and transportation. The GNBS will monitor **GYS 523**, covering low-pressure regulators used with liquefied petroleum gas.
The order expressly directs the two agencies to commence enforcement on April 1, 2027. It was made under the Guyana National Bureau of Standards Act, on the recommendation of the National Standards Council and following consultation with the minister responsible for the GEA.
The assignment of monitoring responsibilities follows earlier public concern about an apparent gap in the enforcement of standards for cooking-gas cylinders.
In a February 4, 2025 editorial, Stabroek News highlighted correspondence from Romain Khan, who had questioned which agency regulated cylinder storage. According to the correspondence reproduced by the newspaper, the GNBS had developed GYS 264 but said it did not enforce the standard and did not know which agency had that responsibility.
Those concerns arose amid investigations into a series of fires and suspected cooking-gas-related explosions.
Stabroek News reported on January 25, 2025, that officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, GEA, Guyana Fire Service and GNBS had met to coordinate inspections and investigations. They agreed to share findings and prepare an action plan incorporating safety measures for suppliers, vendors and consumers.
By February, the investigation involved the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission and the Labour Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Department as well.
The newspaper reported on February 9 that the agencies had agreed to undertake further investigations at retailer and consumer levels, including examining the transportation, storage and use of cylinders. Each incident was to be reviewed separately to determine its most probable cause.
Among the incidents under scrutiny was the January 2025 explosion at Foulis, East Coast Demerara, following which Basmatie Ganpat and her husband, Manoo Sookoo, died.
The consumer commission had separately announced an investigation in January 2025 after receiving complaints involving serious injuries and property damage. It reminded suppliers of their obligations under the Consumer Affairs Act to provide safe goods and services.
The GNBS subsequently publicised the newly approved compulsory LPG standards in a notice published by DPI on October 28.
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