Established since 1992, Prem’s Electrical is now known as one of the major distributors of quality electrical products and services for the residential, commercial and industrial demands in Guyana.
The business is named after its founder, Neelnarine Sukhram also known as Prem. Founded when he was thirty-one (31) years old, the family-operated business located at Alexander Street, Georgetown, aimed to improve the supply of reliable electrical items in Guyana.
As a registered importer and dealer with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), the company’s products are inspected at the ports of entry to ensure that they meet the requirements of the mandatory National Standards. Additional inspections are conducted at the sale outlet located at Alexander Street, Lacytown, Georgetown.
Nirmal Sukhram, Managing Director of the company noted that adhering to the requirements of national and even international standards, is crucial to the business. “For us, it is not only customer satisfaction but customer safety as well,” he said, explaining that the use of non-conforming products can result in fires, thereby causing loss of property or lives.
“A lot of electrical fires have been happening and we certainly don’t want to be a part of that or a contributor to that,” Sukhram said.
In an effort to guarantee quality products are imported, the businessman said the manufacturers are thoroughly vetted ahead of the procurement process. With its main suppliers in the United States of America, Poland and the United Kingdom, he noted that the fittings and equipment meet the standard requirements of those countries.
“Our manufacturers are indeed vetted. We have selected our manufacturers that we choose to represent based on extensive research. We look at the products that are being requested by our end users and we look to see who manufactures these products and where they are on a global standpoint and we have selected the companies that are right up at the top,” he assured.
To take its service one step further, the business in 2019 achieved certification to the International Standard – “ISO 9001 – Quality Management Systems” which helps with the development and implementation of a robust, efficient and effective management structure. This he said, has been very helpful in managing the business’ internal operations. “It has helped me to get a grasp on what is happening in my internal processes and to manage my business more efficiently,” he noted.
Sukhram encourages other importers and dealers selling electrical equipment and fittings as well as appliances to register with the GNBS. He assured that working with the Bureau is a simple beneficial process.
“They come, they inspect, it is a very simple, very easy straightforward process. We are very happy that it’s being done because it helps us to market our products even better… We definitely meet and exceed all standards for electricals,” he pointed out.
Speaking to consumers, Prem’s Managing Director urged people to purchase from registered businesses and look for the common certification marks on the products including CE, UL. These marks must be on the actual items.
He also urged the use of licensed electrical contractors as a means of ensuring the items are also installed properly. “From a personal standpoint, I work hard every day and whatever dollar that I earn, I would hate to see it waste. Apart from the product failing, you can also have loss of property, loss of life which is very extreme and that is definitely what I will tell any customer,” he said.
In addition to Prem’s Electrical, there are several registered businesses adhering to the requirements of the mandatory National Standards including Kanhai’s electrical, S&L Electrical, National Hardware and Gafoor’s among others.
The GNBS as of February 2020, commenced the monitoring of several electrical fittings and equipment based on the requirements of thirty-one mandatory national standards.
These electrical products include Decorative Lighting Products, Lamp Holders, Armoured Cables, Panel Boards, Knife Switches, Conduits, Tubings, and Cable Fittings, Surge Protective Devices, Molded-Case Circuit Breakers, Molded-Case Switches, and Circuit-Breaker Enclosures, Cord Sets and Power- Supply Cords, Thermoset- Insulated Wires and Cables, Attachment Plugs and Receptacles, Dry-Type General Purpose and Power Transformers.
Importers and dealers of these products are required to take the necessary steps to ensure their products meet the respective requirements outlined in the national standards. [GNBS’s Stakeholder Feature]
