Hill orders audit of BSJ and NCRA over rice, bottled water probes

Industry Minister Aubyn Hill has ordered an independent operational audit of the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority (NCRA) and the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) after getting unsatisfactory reports on a series of governance issues flagged by Gleaner probes.   

Senator Hill made the announcement on Thursday. A press conference scheduled for Friday was postponed. 

Over the last month a series of Sunday Gleaner reports revealed, among other things, that NCRA head Lorice Edwards Brown authorised the release of substandard rice imported by Blue Zone Ltd, a company owned by Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton. Edwards Brown is yet to explain her actions.  

The NCRA has also not explained what action it took after a July 2022 internal report demanded “urgent action” with regards to the high levels of substandard building blocks on the market.  

And earlier this month, the BSJ confirmed that the NCRA head did not provide answers on the failure of some brands of bottled coconut water and bottled water.  

The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce said it has received information from the agencies on the issues but “is not yet satisfied with the adequacy of the information submitted to date and is still investigating and gathering compliance and other reports”. 

Based on the preliminary findings, Hill directed that an independent operational audit be “immediately” commissioned of the NCRA and BSJ. A timeline was not given for completion. 

A procurement process will have to be activated to determine the external auditor.  

The NCRA is the former regulatory division of the BSJ. The NCRA monitors and enforces standards established by the BSJ.  

Hill has also ordered that the two boards collaborate to improve governance oversight of the entities.  

Meanwhile, the BSJ has commenced an “end-to-end” internal audit of both BSJ's testing methodology and turnaround time, as well as the NCRA's sampling methodology and inspection activities.  

“The “end-to-end” internal audit is expected to be completed within a month and the results will be submitted to the ministry with recommendations for operational improvements,” the ministry said.  

The ministry also said work on a piece of legislation to provide for the full and legal separation of the NCRA from the BSJ “is at an advanced stage in the legislative process and remains a priority for completion by the end of the financial year”.  

The NCRA started operations in January 2016 but has depended on the BSJ for corporate services. It also does not have any legal powers of its own and relies on other legislation including the Standards Act that governs the BSJ.  

Opposition Spokesman on Industry Anthony Hylton has called for the NCRA bill to be brought to Parliament, arguing that the independence of the NCRA is being impacted by the state of affairs.  

- Jovan Johnson

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