Accreditation Ambassadors Programme Lauded

Chair of the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC), Ileana Martinez, has lauded Jamaica’s Accreditation Ambassadors Programme as an excellent means of building awareness about this vital certification process, and suggested its replication in other countries.

“I think all countries need to raise awareness of the importance and the benefits of accreditation. (The Accreditation Ambassadors Programme is) a very clever way of doing it and I hope that other countries will take on this activity,” she said.

The programme, which is an initiative of the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation (JANAAC), was launched today (June 9) during a ceremony held to commemorate World Accreditation Day, at the Terra Nova All-Suites Hotel in St. Andrew.

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, who presented the 13 Accreditation Ambassadors with their instruments of appointment, commended them for donating their time and effort to engage in public advocacy and public awareness activities.

He noted that these prominent business leaders, drawn from the business, trade, sport, and scientific communities were chosen based on their ability to “pull attention to active support in accreditation, in general, and JANAAC in particular.”

The Minister also praised JANAAC as the only internationally recognised accreditation body in the English-Speaking Caribbean staying true to its vision of being a leading provider of internationally recognised accreditation services that improve consumer confidence, facilitate market access and economic growth.

The Accreditation Ambassadors, mainly comprised of Jamaicans, include one individual whose company is based in Barbados, Chief Executive Officer, CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), Deryck Omar.

Mr. Omar welcomed the launch of the programme, and thanked JANAAC for the work it has been doing with CROSQ in building accreditation in the region.

The other ambassadors are: Head of the School of Public Health Technology, University of Technology, Professor Winston Davidson; Managing Director, Technological Solutions Limited, Dr. Andre Gordon; Executive Director, Scientific Research Council, Dr. Cliff Riley; Chairman, Jamaica Exporters’ Association, Marjory Kennedy; Executive Director, Sugar Industry Research Institute, Dr. Maureen Wilson; and Managing Director, Biomedical Caledonia Labs, Barbara Hendricks.

Also appointed are: Executive Director, Bureau of Standards Jamaica, Yvonne Hall; Managing Director, Environmental Solutions Limited, Eleanor Jones; Head, Trade Facilitation Task Force, Patricia Francis; President, Jamaica Promotions Corporation, Diane Edwards; Vice President, Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association, Metry Seaga; and Group Chief Information Officer, GraceKennedy, Simon Roberts.

The ambassadors, whose designation is for a period of one year, are eligible for reappointment based on the satisfactory fulfilment of their role and demonstrating interest in continuing the relationship.

At the ceremony, accreditation certificates were awarded to the Technological Solutions Chemistry and Microbiology Laboratories; the Bureau of Standards Jamaica Packaging Laboratory; and the Guyana Rice Development Board Central Laboratory. These labs met the requirements of the ISO/IEC 17025 Standard for the Food Testing Scope.