The promotion of Caribbean Regional Quality Infrastructure (RQI) has gone global.
A podcast series, entitled The Quality Link, was launched in late July and will be featuring the network of national standards bodies, that are part of the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ).
The first episode in the series was produced by the Trinidad and Tobago Bureaus of Standards (TTBS) and gave an in-depth look at issues associated accreditation. It is one of what is initially intended to be a 15-month series exploring various topics related the quality infrastructure as it applies to Caribbean countries.
The TTBS’ focus on accreditation followed a month of activities in June, which is traditionally acknowledged and celebrated as accreditation month, with World Accreditation Day falling on June 9th annually around the globe. While this year’s theme explored the topic of digitalization and how it applies to and affects accreditation, the TTBS’ podcast, which stemmed from a video interview called “The QUALITY Link – Why Quality Matters”. The interviews, conducted with the national standards body’s staff from its laboratories spoke about the many issues surrounding building competence in testing, accreditation and measurement in the country as well as the region. Hosted by the head of TTBS’ Accreditation Laboratory, Ms. Karlene Lewis, it also looked at services that also support accreditation.
Other episodes in the series have been released by Jamaica – “The QUALITY Link – The Importance of Measurement”; and Saint Lucia – “The QUALITY Link – QI and the Cannabis Industry” and St Kitts and Nevis, is set to release their episode on October 20th.
The series is the brainchild of the Marketing, Information, Knowledge Management and Education (MIKE) Technical Committee of CROSQ, which is comprised of communications, marketing, public relations, IT and information officers within the NSBs of the 15 member states of CARICOM.
Head of the MIKE’s Marketing and Communications Working Group, Ms. Maxine Fagan of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, said, “The idea for the podcast was developed because the Committee recognised that the notion of standards and quality may be considered somewhat complex and this type of auditory presentation allows you to break down the information in a conversational style where the audience can better relate to or gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
“This podcast may be considered as an information resource. It facilitates national standards bodies across the Caribbean region, passing on information about the work they do or subject matters related to standards and quality and how this impacts businesses and individuals. It is a means of raising awareness and connecting to a wider audience,” said Ms. Fagan. The podcast is being hosted on Anchor by Spotify and rebroadcast on the CROSQ’s YouTube page and featured on its’ website – www.crosq.org. It will feature an episode around the 21st of each month for the next year.
