Members of MSME Alliance Get Help

KINGSTON — Government's thrust to help small businesses ramp up their operational standards and output, has been further advanced with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ), and the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises  (MSME) Alliance.

The MoU, which was signed yesterday (November 1), at the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, which has oversight for the BSJ, will provide technical assistance to members of the MSME Alliance’s 30 associations, enabling them to implement quality systems.

The programme is being implemented over three years, at the end of which it is expected that each entity will be enabled to implement quality systems in their operations, or show significant improvement in instances where such systems were already in place.

In his address, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, said the MoU  is an important step forward because of the importance of MSMEs to the economy, noting that the agreement forms part of the larger initiative being implemented under the Ministry’s MSME policy.

Dr.Tufton said the standards which are being targeted would not just be recognised locally, but would also be benchmarked against international standards.

"That is a very important point, because too often within our own business climate, sometimes we think that our own standards are sufficient to make us competitive (and) sometimes we ignore what is acceptable on a global level. We want to send a strong signal to small, medium and micro businesses, that it is not sufficient for you to (just) do something well; it is important for you to benchmark what you do against any other player in a similar field, located anywhere else in the world,” he emphasised.

The  Minister argued that this type of benchmarking has become increasingly critical in trade, as businesses that do not focus in this direction could suffer a number of consequences.

“It could be as extreme as preventing you from trading, or (it may be) less tangible, but still significant, as giving you a competitive disadvantage in a marketplace where those standards are part of the way forward,” he explained.

Dr. Tufton said under the MoU, the BSJ will build technical competencies through its ‘Train the Trainer’ programme, in which specific persons will be identified and trained appropriately, enabling them to impart knowledge and training to others within their organisations.

He  said that while the programme is expected to last for three years, it is anticipated  that in the first instance the capacity that currently exists within the BSJ will be used, with costs associated with additional capacity budgeted at some $1 million for year one.

Executive Director of the BSJ, Noel Osbourne, assured that, “this will not be just another MoU, because we see it as so important in getting the work of the BSJ out there."             

"Through this MoU, we are providing a platform for collaboration with the sector. We want the sector to be able to comply with the standards and regulations; we want them to understand what are the rules of trade, so that they can serve, not only  the Jamaican marketplace, but they can export and satisfy the requirements of the export market,"  he added.

In her remarks, President of the MSME Alliance, Professor Rosalea Hamilton,  welcomed the collaboration, noting that contrary to the belief that some operators within the sector  are resistant to complying with standards, there  are constant requests for support and assistance in raising the standards of their businesses.

"In a world where businesses must now not only meet national standards but regional as well as international standards, we absolutely embrace this MoU and see it as critical in the development of our members, as well as the MSME sector going forward,” she said.

Professor Hamilton pointed out that while the drive is on to bring local commercial operations at all levels up to par, the Government should also intensify its monitoring and enforcing standards for imports of goods and services.

The MSME Alliance represents some 300,000 small businesses across various sectors, including the Jamaica Agricultural Society, the National Council of Taxi Operators, the Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association, the Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and the National Association of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists, among others.

By Alphea Saunders, JIS Reporter