Legal Metrology Bill approved

Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter

CABINET considered and approved the Principles of the Legal Metrology Bill which provides for the administration and enforcement of legal metrology technical regulations to promote fair trade as well as provide for the protection of the public through the use of accurate measurements.

In a Post Cabinet Briefing this Tuesday Dr Jenfan Muswere, the Minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services said the Bill also establishes the Legal Metrology Agency.

The Agency has the following functions among others, establishing and making recommendations to the Minister concerning the declaration of legal metrology technical regulations, ensuring that the recommendations are only for compelling reasons such as promoting fair trade practices and safeguarding the public, administering and maintaining legal metrology technical regulations, developing codes of practice and guidelines for legal metrology technical regulatory impact and risk assessment, and carrying out market surveillance in order to monitor and enforce compliance with legal metrology technical regulations.

“A Board of the Agency will be constituted, in line with corporate governance principles, to oversee the strategic directions of the Legal Metrology Agency. Furthermore, the Legal Metrology Agency shall appoint inspectors, verification officers, and examiners as well as support staff who shall be responsible for the application and enforcement of the law,” said the Minister.