The commitment of staff members at three bureaux was brought into the spotlight recently, as the “Strengthening of the Regional Quality Infrastructure in Barbados, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis” Project drew to a close.
Metrology staff at the Barbados National Standards Institution (BNSI), the Dominica Bureau of Standards (DBOS), and the St Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards (SKNBS) were presented with certificates of appreciation for the roles they continue to play in the sustainability of the expanded metrology laboratories of the three countries.
The project was a two-year initiative financed by the European Union and managed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) under the Economic Partnership Agreement and CARICOM Single Market and Economy Standby Facility for Capacity Building. The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) served as the implementing agency for the Project, which provided equipment, technical assistance, and training to the laboratories and staff.
CROSQ’s Technical Officer, Standards Development and Technical Regulations, Mr. Fulgence St. Prix thanked the CDB for the partnership that enabled CROSQ Secretariat to assist its members in this manner. He especially praised the bureaux and their staff for the commitment shown that resulted in the successful completion of the project.
“The training component which is an integral part of the project is very important to ensure that there is sustainability in the initiatives undertaken… CROSQ Secretariat will continue to seek ways and means to develop capacity within the bureaux, and by extension the national mirror institutes to deliver further services, and to achieve our ultimate goal which is to ensure that the pillars of the national quality infrastructure are internationally recognised,” said Mr. St. Prix.
He urged the bureau employees to make the most of their training. “We would like to implore you the recipients of the training to as much as is possible to implement what you have learnt and pass on the knowledge to your peers as far as is possible.”
CDB’s Communications Officer, CARIFORUM-EU EPA and CSME Standby Facility, Ms. Shireen Cuthbert congratulated the participants, noting that their engagement contributed to the successful completion of the project.
“By upgrading [the] metrology laboratories through the supply of equipment and training to produce measurements that are reliable and accurate, these bureaux will now offer local businesses the services they need to satisfy export-quality conditions, improve consumer confidence, increase revenues, and generate employment,” she said, adding that as a result the services could not be more affordable and efficient to support growth and regional development.
The closing ceremony also saw the awarding of certificates to the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, and the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards, which provided mentoring and other assistance to their comrades across the three participating countries.
Head of Standardisation Department for the DBOS, Ms. Mara Abraham noted that the training of staff and the equipment afforded by the project had enabled valued development for the bureau.
“The project facilitated the expansion of our metrology lab. We are extremely grateful for the equipment that was received and for the training that went along with it. The training for us is building the capacity of our staff to be able to execute efficiently the activities that are being undertaken in the lab,” she said.
Her sentiments were shared by Acting Director of the BNSI, Mr. Hadyn Rhynd who expressed appreciation for the support.
“I would like to acknowledge not just all of the members of CROSQ, but to congratulate the staff of the laboratory of the BNSI for their participation where we now have increased metrology capabilities and services to date. It’s been a tremendous journey; a journey which we are extremely thankful not just to the coordinators but to everyone who would have played an administrative role in the training, in the support systems in order to make the project a tremendous success,” said Mr. Rhynd.
In offering thanks on behalf of the SKNBS, Head of Metrology, Mr. I-Ronn Audain noted, “It has allowed us to enhance our national quality infrastructure and has also given us a mass metrology, given the staff training to build capacity and will allow us to give a new service to our clients both locally and sub-regionally. I just want to echo that we thank the staff of CROSQ and CDB for the excellent communication that we had with the project.”
He also praised the management of the various components of the project by CROSQ Project Coordinator, Mrs. Sadie-Ann Sisnett, adding that the good communication amongst all involved enabled excellent coordination, and vastly contributed to the successes.
