International Accreditation Crucial to Regional Trade – Senator Spencer

Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce (MITEC), Senator Kern Spencer, has said that with the full implementation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, universally recognised standards would become particularly necessary in the provision of healthcare services.
“This is necessary if as Caribbean nations we are to treat with any measure of seriousness issues of safety and scientific research, which are avenues through which we can make a significant contribution on the world stage,” he said.
The State Minister, who was speaking at the National Quality Infrastructure Project seminar on the accreditation of medical labs in the Caribbean, at the Knutsford Court Hotel, yesterday (October 3), said that trade could improve by acceding to a global accreditation system.
“This situation has necessitated the improvement of standards to meet the international regulations and criteria which will go a long way in preparing the Caribbean for greater completion on the global market,” he said.
Senator Spencer further emphasized that the liberalised trade climate with little preferential agreements was seeing a reduction of tax barriers on imported goods “while technical barriers and the demand for quality standards are indeed increasing.”In light of this, he said “in order for [regional] goods to enter foreign markets, we must attain world class standards.”
Noting that the Jamaican economy was heavily dependent on export, he said exports for the period January to April 2006 had increased by US$124.9 million.
Meanwhile, he said in the area of medical laboratory accreditation, there would be improvements in the methods used for such accreditation by the Ministry’s accreditation body, the Jamaica National Accreditation Company.