Bridgetown, Barbados, August 15th, 2024 — The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) is hailing its largest European Union (EU)-funded project as a pivotal initiative that has bolstered trade opportunities for Caribbean businesses.
The accolades for the successful implementation of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Programme, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Component, came recently, as CROSQ and several of its partners held a closeout seminar at Savannah Beach Club in Barbados, to mark the end of the project. Key stakeholders from national, regional, and international agencies, donors and industry gathered to celebrate the achievements of the project and get a glimpse of the next phase in developing quality infrastructure for the region.
“The 11th EDF EPA TBT Programme has been instrumental in reinforcing the Caribbean’s quality infrastructure, enabling us to meet international standards more effectively,” said Mrs. Sharonmae Smith-Walker, CEO of the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation. “Through this programme, we have established state-of-the-art reference laboratories in areas such as food safety, environmental testing, and metrology, which are critical for ensuring the safety and quality of products in the Caribbean.”
Funded by the EU, the programme started in 2019 and involved 16 CARIFORUM states. Mr. Sheldon Jackman, Project Manager, Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS, and CARICOM and CARIFORUM, expressed the EU’s ongoing commitment to supporting the region’s development:
“The success of the 11th EDF EPA TBT Programme demonstrates the power of partnership. The EU is proud to have contributed to the establishment of a robust quality infrastructure that will continue to support the Caribbean’s economic growth and integration into the global economy. We look forward to the next phase of this important work.”
Deputy Programme Manager, CARIFORUM Directorate, Mrs. Yvanette Baron-George, underscored the programme’s broader implications, noting that it “has not only improved the region’s technical capabilities, but has also enhanced our ability to engage in international trade with more companies being given the competitive edge through new market opportunities, with the adherence to standards and quality procedures.
Partners in the project, INDOCAL and the German National Metrology Institute (PTB) also spoke of the strengthened partnerships that resulted from cooperation not just within CARIFORUM, but also the European Union, which led to the project’s success.
The 11th EDF EPA TBT Programme delivered a range of benefits to the Caribbean, including the development of regionally harmonised standards; training of professionals in the science of measurement (metrology), quality promotions, and conformity assessment, and accreditation of national laboratories. Quality-focused private sector engagements, as well as certification of several businesses were among highlighted successes of the project. During the closing seminar certificates were presented at the seminar to LNW Environmental Inc of Barbados, one of such companies that gained international certification, and to Mr. Cecil Pope of Trinidad and Tobago, the first graduate of the Executive Certificate in the Quality for Organisational Effectiveness and Sustainability Programme, an eLearning programme of the project comprising five separate courses
CROSQ promised its member national standards bodies and stakeholders to continue pushing to develop both national and regional quality.
“The work doesn’t stop here, …”As we move into the next phase, we are committed to continuing our collaboration with our partners and stakeholders to ensure that the Caribbean remains at the forefront of quality and standards development. Our goal is to create a sustainable, resilient quality infrastructure that supports the region’s economic growth and improves the quality of life for all Caribbean citizens.” Mrs. Smith-Walker emphasized.
To learn more about the achievements of the 11th EDF EPA TBT Programme, including the impact on regional quality infrastructure and key successes, download our publication ‘A Caribbean Story about Quality’ at https://website.crosq.org/?mdocs-file=4427.
