The business environment in St Kitts and Nevis will be enhanced with the introduction of a National Quality Policy (NQP). This was signaled as Premier of Nevis and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Mark Brantley pledged the country’s support to implementing the NQP for the twin-island.
“I think this is a really important exercise and one that we are all committed to here in St Kitts and Nevis. I’m sure you’ll hear from the Minister of Trade shortly; she is the one who has line responsibility for the Bureau of Standards; but I think this is a quantum leap for St Kitts and Nevis and it certainly has my fullest support and commitment.” the Premier noted at a virtual event where the Policy was handed over to the Government and people by the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards & Quality (CROSQ)
An NQP is a framework that guides development, using quality and quality infrastructure as its anchor. The comprehensive document, developed over almost a year of extensive consultations and engagement, was one of the objectives of the European Union (EU) financed EPA & CSME Standby Facility at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The Facility funded – among other things, the development of the NQP and enhancement of the country’s measurement infrastructure through the Strengthening of the Quality Infrastructure Project, which is part of the Facility’s initiatives, is being administered by CROSQ.
Minister of International Trade, Hon. Wendy Phipps echoed the Premier’s comments. “We are now at the point of receiving the blueprint to guide the development of our national quality infrastructure, the further development and cementing of the transformation, the paradigm shift that we would like to see in terms of the national quality culture within St Kitts and Nevis, when it comes to the development, delivery and the trade in goods and services with our country, and the rest of the world,” she stated.
She noted the Policy was timely as the federation was also revising the national manufacturing strategy and undergoing an economic restructuring programme that identified other priority sectors for national development, of which manufacturing was one. She added that the Policy had already identified actions for including quality parameters in each of the identified sectors.
CROSQ’s CEO was effusive in his thanks to the Government and the SKNBS for their demonstrated leadership in, and facilitation of the process. He also thanked the CDB for its contribution of funding to the process, that allowed the consultants of Mesopartner, to work continuously to bring the process to this point.
“As we witness the handing over of these NQP documents, we look forward to the continued and indeed, the accelerated growth that can and we do hope, will arise from the effective implementation of a quality policy such as this. We once again extend thanks to the funding that aided the process, through the Standby Facility, under the administration of the Caribbean Development Bank.”
The handing over was part of broader sensitisation activities that stretched across the first two weeks of February, culminating in an appearance by Minister Phipps, Director Stuart LaPlace of the St Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards and CROSQ CEO Mr Omar in the public domain.
About the Strengthening of the Regional Quality Infrastructure Project
The Standby Facility is a €8.75 million resource managed by the Caribbean Development Bank and financed by the 11th European Development Fund. The Strengthening of the Regional Quality Infrastructure Project is one of the Facility’s many projects, and involves the countries of Barbados, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis. It is being implemented with the help of the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards & Quality (CROSQ).
The project is contributing to the measurement labs of the bureaux of standards in the three countries, through funding to provide equipment and technical assistance, as well as to develop the National Quality Policy of St Kitts and Nevis. The intervention is intended to create greater profit-making opportunities for regional enterprises, the production of more competitive products and services and access to new markets, while meeting the countries’ demands for globally recognised and high-quality testing and measurement services, especially by industry.
For more information, please contact
Mrs. Carissa Franks-Benjamin
St Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards
Email: carissa.franks-benjamin@gov.kn
Ms. Latoya Burnham
CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards & Quality
Email: latoya.burnham@crosq.org
Ms. Cassie-Ann James
Caribbean Development Bank
Email: jamesca@caribank.org
