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STANDARDS IN FOCUS…STANDARDISATION IN THE CROSQ CARICOM LEVEL

Jul 02, 2017 News

Standardisation is a very integral component of trade and integration within the Caribbean Region as it facilitates the production and acceptance of quality goods and services among member states.
CARICOM Member States established the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) under Article 67 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that was signed by the Heads of Government of CARICOM on 5 July 2001.
CROSQ began its work as a regional inter-governmental organisation in February 2002 to facilitate the development of regional standards, promote the harmonization of metrology systems and support the sustainable production and trade of goods and services in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
With its headquarters in Barbados, CROSQ is the regional centre for promoting efficiency and competitive production in goods and services, through the process of standardization and the verification of quality. In this regard, CROSQ aims to support international competitiveness for the enhancement of social and economic development of the region.
All fifteen Member States of CARICOM are members of CROSQ – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
CROSQ’s vision is to be the leader for the development and promotion of the Regional Quality Infrastructure (RQI) which has five components: standards, metrology, testing, certification and accreditation. Meanwhile, its mission is to facilitate trade and competitiveness for CARICOM products and services for sustainable development through implementation of a RQI.
As the Regional Standards Body, CROSQ reports to the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), which is responsible for the approval of standards, CROSQ work programme and budget.
The Regional Body is made up of the Council, the Technical and Special Committees and the Secretariat. The CROSQ Council provides policy direction and consists of the Directors/Executive Directors (or representatives) of the National Standards Bodies (NSBs) such as the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). The Technical and Special Committees consist of stakeholders from private and public sector entities who support the work of the organisation. Meanwhile, the Secretariat coordinates, facilitates and implements programmes and activities of the organisation.
Three Technical Committees assist with the technical agenda of the CROSQ Council. Firstly, the Technical Management Committee (TMC) was appointed in 2005 to assist with the development and harmonization of regional standards. Comprising technical experts from among the NSBs, the TMC meets 3-4 times yearly to oversee the process. Sector-specific Regional Technical Committees (RTCs), comprising relevant stakeholders and experts, develop and review the standards.
Secondly, CARIMET, the Caribbean arm of the Sistema Inter-American Metrologia (SIM), is made up of representatives of the National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) of the English-speaking Caribbean, including Belize, Guyana and Suriname.
It has been in existence since the mid-1990s. In April 2008, it was formally invited to participate within CROSQ as a special committee, with particular responsibility for the development and coordination of Metrology in the region.
Lastly, the Marketing Information Knowledge and Education Management (MIKE) Committee is made up of representatives from each of the National Standards Bodies in the areas of information technology, information management, marketing and communications, WTO/TBT enquiry points and CODEX nodes. The MIKE Committee was established to assist in the development of information and communication technologies (ICT) within CROSQ.
The GNBS in collaboration with the other National Standards Bodies across CARICOM and the CROSQ Secretariat wishes all Guyanese and CARICOM Nationals “A HAPPY CARICOM DAY, 2017”.

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