The Ministry of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce is seeking to improve Barbados’ National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) during the financial year 2019 – 2020.
This was affirmed by Minister Dwight Sutherland, as he highlighted the importance of quality infrastructure at the opening ceremony for the Good Regulatory Practice Validation Workshop and Training, earlier today.
The event was hosted by the CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality.
The minister stated that his ministry aimed to provide an environment which would facilitate competitive and successful micro, small and medium-sized enterprise businesses and entrepreneurs.
“Governments have a central role to play in the development and upgrading of National Quality Infrastructure institutions…. The Government of Barbados is committed to putting the requisite quality infrastructure in place, with the strategic goal of promoting sustainable economic growth and inclusive social development, while simultaneously achieving our strategic targets and development objectives within CARICOM,” Minister Sutherland stressed.
The Commerce Minister also cited the need for regulations in quality infrastructure, and noted that good regulatory practices “ensure that regulatory outcomes are effective, transparent, inclusive and sustained”.
He added: “Their use can contribute to providing the type of environment that supports and encourages investment, trade and entrepreneurship. They can be beneficial to small and medium-sized enterprises and assist in their participation in global value chains.”
Minister Sutherland explained that as his ministry worked towards the updated NQI for Barbados, they were currently in the process of establishing a new governance structure for the Barbados National Standards Institution; building the human resource base with enhanced training, and rolling out a new public education campaign and public relations plan.