JANAAC to Include Accreditation of Inspection and Certification Bodies

The Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC) will be seeking to expand its scope to include the accreditation of inspection and certification bodies as the nation moves towards becoming a global logistics hub.

Acting Technical Manager, JANAAC, Sonia Morgan said accreditation of inspection facilities that will support the logistics hub, is of vital importance.

Mrs. Morgan was speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank on Wednesday, June 11.

“The logistics hub is going to be an initiative that comprises testing and inspection operations that will need to be certified. JANAAC’s role is to provide the accreditation services to laboratories that will do testing related to the products that are involved in trade; also, the certification systems that will support the hub need accreditation because the logistics hub must be operated in a context of internationally recognised, acceptable and competent facilities. This is where JANAAC’s role is going to be pervasive,” she said.

Chairman of JANAAC, Dr. Cliff Riley who also spoke at the Think Tank, said the agency has been working closely with the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), to incorporate itself into Jamaica’s logistics hub development.

“Most, if not all, of the discussions regarding the logistics hub had included JANAAC and we will see how exactly we fit within that framework and to ensure that we can facilitate the services and activities offered through that agency. But our major thrust at this time to really boost the effectiveness of that initiative, is to bring on stream and expand our scope to include inspection bodies,” he said.

Jamaica’s global Logistics Hub Initiative is a core plank in the Government’s economic growth strategy and seeks to drive investment and create sustainable employment over the long term.