Jamaican gov’t committed to strengthening quality infrastructure, says Shaw

The Jamaican government is dedicated to strengthening the country's regulatory, standardisation and conformity framework to facilitate trade, accelerate economic development and improve the quality of life for all citizens, says Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Audley Shaw.

His remarks were delivered by Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Andrene Collings at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) 12th annual National Quality Awards (NQA) ceremony and banquet, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Tuesday.

Shaw said that the government is committed to the development of country's national quality capabilities and competence and the provision of a competitive trade environment, based on internationally accepted standards and principles.

"Administration is equally seized of the need to create an environment that encourages local consumers to demand high-quality products and services," he said.

The draft National Quality Policy 2017 articulates the Government’s position on the quality of goods and services produced and consumed in Jamaica.

The new policy, which is an update of the 2013 document, will help with quality upgrading of locally produced goods and services to internationally required standards, not only for local consumers but for the export market.

"The consumer goods industry is undergoing significant transformation, with consumer behaviour, availability of new technologies, and shifts in purchasing power reshaping the supply chain," said Shaw.

He noted that manufacturers and retailers are being challenged to “redefine the way they operate and collaborate with each other as well as with their trading partners”.

The Minister said this places standard and quality maintenance at the “forefront of what we do, as we must just keep pace with the demands of the time and changes, but ensure product safety and quality”.

"The National Quality Policy is designed to provide direction to and guidelines on the various related activities," he noted.

Of importance, he pointed out, is the ability of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to comply with product standards and regulations in domestic and export markets.

He noted that MSMEs are major suppliers of goods and services in most, if not all, global value chains, and the Government is keen to develop the appropriate mechanisms to identify the sector’s standards and quality needs.

These, he pointed out, include initiating engagements for national quality infrastructure support, in keeping with Jamaica’s MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy Meanwhile, Shaw lauded the BSJ, which falls under the Ministry, for its ongoing work to promote and encourage standardisation in relation to commodities, processes and practices.

“This work has seen your role expanded over the years to include conformity through certification, inspection and testing, calibration, as well as metrology. This expansion… is further indicative of the aptitude of the agency to keep pace with the demands of the markets it serves,” he added.

The NQA, jointly implemented by the Ministry and BSJ, is Jamaica’s first quality-based awards programme that recognises local companies that are demonstrating the application of standards and quality systems in the production of goods, delivery of service, and in agriculture.