Gov’t Recommits to Further Modernizing the National Quality and Standards Framework

State Minister for Industry, Investment, and Commerce, Hon. Sharon Ffolkes Abrahams, says the Government remains committed to further modernizing the national quality and standards framework. This, to better position local goods and services to meet international standards, within the context of global trade.

Additionally, she says the administration is equally focused on creating an environment that encourages local consumers to demand high quality products and services from Jamaican producers.

“I must emphasize that it is not just producers or exporters who are affected by the quality environment. Every day, we, as consumers, make use of the components of the quality infrastructure, without even being aware of it,” the State Minister notes.

She was speaking at a public forum on the National Quality Policy, 2015, held on Thursday, November 19, at the Wexford Court Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James.

Mrs. Ffolkes-Abrahams emphasized the particular need and importance of the Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) also complying with established product standards and regulations applied in both the domestic and export markets.

“Quality upgrading of our products, large and small, not only improves our products and services to meet increasingly demanding customer expectations, but also enhances the opportunity for expansion into new markets (by stakeholders like MSMEs),” the State Minister contended.

In this regard, Mrs. Ffolkes-Abrahams said the government would seek to develop “appropriate mechanisms” to identify the standards and quality needs of the MSME sector.

This, she added, would include establishing initiatives for national quality infrastructure support, “in keeping with our MSME and Entrepreneurship Policy.”

Several representatives of the Industry, Investment, and Commerce Ministry, corporate entities and other institutions across Montego Bay, as well as students participated in the forum.

Discussions and presentations were based on the provisions of the National Quality Policy of Jamaica, which articulates the importance of domestic production and international trade in advancing country’s economic future.