Plans are afoot by the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), to implement a CARICOM Certification Mark of Quality, to facilitate the easy access of regional goods overseas.

In highlighting the significance of the Certification Mark, Chairman of CROSQ, Deryck Omar, said: "When Customs Officers see that mark as the product moves from one country to another, they would know that the product conforms to a regional standard. So, this product certification mark is a very important project that we would try to get underway within the next two years."????

He also disclosed the organisation’s plans to promote quality as the primary method of competitiveness. "Quality will be the primary differential that determines a country’s competitiveness. Thus, CROSQ wants to play a part in honing and promoting the importance of quality throughout the Caribbean."

One initiative on the cards to achieve this Mr. Omar stated, was to enlist the private sector as a partner to assist the company with the introduction of a Regional Quality Award.

Mr. Omar also hinted at discussions with the University of the West Indies to inculcate Standards Development, Metrology and Product Certification into their curricula. "We want to develop quality officers who would go to the manufacturers and help them to develop quality control and quality assurance programmes," he explained.

The official lauded Caribbean governments for supporting the work of CROSQ and he pledged to continue helping the region to build quality products.

jwilson@barbados.gov.bb

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