BSJ Publishes 68 New Standards

Between April 2023 and December 2024, the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) successfully published 68 new standards, bringing the total national quality standards up to 760.

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, made the disclosure at the 14th BSJ National Quality Awards Ceremony & Banquet, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston, on Thursday (January 30).

Senator Hill celebrated the significant accomplishment, while underscoring the BSJ’s critical role in enhancing Jamaica’s quality landscape and supporting local businesses.

He credited the BSJ’s standards development programme for diligently working on the new standards, highlighting the necessity of having precise standards for essential products like gasolene.

The Minister also highlighted the BSJ’s commitment to supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which are vital to Jamaica’s economy.

Through its business support programme, the BSJ has assisted 96 MSMEs, resulting in approximately $4.1 million in savings.

“You might say $4.1 million isn’t a lot of money… but do you know how much $50,000 [in revenue] means to a person who has one employee and one daughter or son helping them to make a business? It’s a big load of money,” he remarked.

In addition, the client services programme at the BSJ has made significant strides by assisting 500 businesses in improving operational efficiency and market access, particularly within the food and beverage manufacturing sector.

“All that food that you eat and drink, they have to be tested. The Bureau of Standards stands tall in doing that day in, day out,” Minister Hill emphasised.

In addition to its standards and business support initiatives, the BSJ has conducted 60 training sessions for more than 1,000 individuals across various industries through its external training programme.

“It’s not just some scientific entity, it is a functioning entity that makes sure we stay healthy,” said Minister Hill.