Industry Ministry to Examine Internal Service Quality

KINGSTON — The Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) is to develop a survey instrument that will be used to test customer satisfaction levels within the 21 agencies and departments of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.

The move comes as the Ministry implements its Citizens' Charter in keeping with the Government's objective of ensuring greater accountability, transparency and enhanced public service delivery.

While the survey will be an internal assessment, Portfolio Minister, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, said he is prepared to make the results public.

"(We want) to give our customers… a voice as to where they think we should improve, and for ourselves internally to help us to know where we need to focus in terms of enhancing the quality and efficiency of the service we provide,” Dr. Tufton stated.

He was speaking at the launch of the Ministry’s customer service standards, which is part of its Citizens’ Charter, on November 21 at his New Kingston offices.

According to Dr. Tufton, the internal testing process, which will begin shortly, is important to the work of the Ministry. “We want to be on the cutting-edge of providing the best quality service and we want to do so in a manner to be critical of ourselves, and for others to be critical or complimentary of us,” he said.

Noting that the charter is an important step, he said it is not just symbolic, but acts as a guide for those working within the Ministry and its agencies and to "always reflect as we seek to carry out our specific functions each day, that we are indeed servants of those, who we are mandated to provide a service to".

He argued that "the extent to which we efficiently deliver our services is the extent to which we create more economic activity, which in turn provides for the normal functioning of the society, and specifically provides the salaries that we earn each month as employees within the government sector."

The citizens charter is intended to guide this process, providing the public with an expectation of how they will be served and therefore reduce the risk of disappointments and misunderstandings, the Minister emphasised.

Agencies and departments, which fall under the Ministry are: CAC; Bureau of Standards Jamaica; Companies Office of Jamaica (CoJ); Factories Corporation of Jamaica, Fair Trading Commission (FTC); Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC); Anti-Dumping and Subsidies Commission; Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division; Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation; Jamaica Marketing Company; Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO); Montego Bay Freezone; Scientific Research Council (SRC); Kingston Freezone; Micro Investment Development Agency (MIDA); Self Start Fund; Registrar of Cooperatives and Friendly Societies; Trade Board Limited; Jamaica Commodity Trading Company; Jamaica Exotic Flavours and Essences; and  Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO).
                                                                  

By Alphea Saunders, JIS Senior Reporter