After a successful initial 2-year period the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) and the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) signed a renewal of their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in support of the BSJ’s Business Partnership Programme on Tuesday August 25, in the BSJ’s Board Room.
The programme is designed to provide technical assistance to Micro Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) which will enable them to implement quality systems in their organizations, that ultimately will impact national economic development.
Forty benefit from Train the Trainer programme
Over the last two years, under the Business Partnership Programme, approximately 40 persons from six entities were trained under a Train the Trainer programme. Benefiting from training in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), packaging and labelling, Metry Seaga, president of the JMA noted that the training was strategic and especially beneficial to their technical staff.With the knowledge gained and skills which were developed by these persons, they continued the training, mentoring and coaching within their organizations thus creating a multiplier effect. The building of the technical competences of Train the Trainers who train resource persons is one of the key deliverables under the programme. Mr. Seaga said the MOU represented the continued mutual commitment to developing the capacity of the productive sector in standards and quality.
Twenty Percent Discount for companies
Yvonne Hall, Executive Director of the BSJ announced that under the MOU, MSMEs stand to also benefit from a twenty percent discount on services offered by the BSJ, however, this will be granted only on the basis of the entity’s involvement in standards related activities and the implementation of quality systems. Additionally, the signing of the MOU enhances the BSJ’s role as facilitator and not regulator, particularly after the separation of the regulatory activities, announced recently.
The main results expected from the programme, which is expected to continue until at least 2017, are the enhanced awareness of the value of standards by company personnel; the implementation of quality systems in the various participating entities and the improvement of current quality systems in the various organizations and member companies.
For more information, contact Mr. Ellis James Laing at 484 4832 or elaing@bsj.org.jm.
