The Bahamas

The principle function of a National Standards Body (NSB) is to develop standards based on international and regional principles and practices, adopt international or regional standards and promote their use by industry to improve the overall quality environment for products and services. The objective is to improve industry competitiveness in the domestic and export markets, facilitate trade by reducing technical barrier to trade, and strengthen consumer and environmental protection against unsafe products or services being placed on the market.

The Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ) is a body corporate by virtue of the Standards Act (2006) and the Weights and Measures Act (2006) with reporting relationship to the Ministry of Financial Services. The BBSQ’s primary function is the formulation and /or adoption of standards as national instruments of socio-economic development, in addition to offering metrology, inspection, testing and certification services, the latter three being collectively termed conformity assessment. The BBSQ also has a training and consulting mandate as well as regulatory responsibility for operation of a legal metrology and quality-related inspection service that it carries out via market surveillance on non-food products.

The Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality (BBSQ) is tasked with the job of helping to build the country’s national quality infrastructure (NQI) systems. The main thrust for competitiveness on international markets is quality. All market-based transactions can only occur when buyers and sellers agree on product or service characteristics. Once an agreement is reach, the buyers need to have the assurance that the product or service supplied will in fact meet or exceed the agreed characteristics or quality. In the case of a NQI, the standards bureau should at the very least: guarantee access to international standards and technical regulations, assure consistent and reliable measurements of products, and set up a system that will allow accreditation of its testing and certification facilities in such a way that the results of these bodies will be internationally accepted. A QI will also support local industries and consumers. In most cases, The Bahamas will have to enforce standards and technical regulations that conform to international requirements.

Mission

Advance national development through the facilitation and promotion of quality services in standardization, metrology and conformity assessment to protect the consumer, enhance international trade and competitiveness of goods and services.

Vision

The principle National authority for standards and quality.