The Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards (SLBS) is advancing the development of Saint Lucia’s National Standardisation Strategy (NSS) through a stakeholder validation workshop aimed at strengthening awareness of the initiative, verifying preliminary findings and identifying standards-related needs that can support national development.
The Saint Lucia National Standardisation Strategy (NSS) Stakeholder Validation Workshop will take place today, Wednesday, 21 October 2026, at the Bay Gardens Hotel Conference Room. The engagement will bring together stakeholders to examine the findings of the NSS Needs Assessment Report and provide practical, evidence-based input to inform the first draft of the Strategy.
The initiative represents an important step in identifying how standards can contribute to economic competitiveness, improved trade, better-quality goods and services, stronger regulatory systems and the achievement of national and sectoral development priorities.
The workshop will provide stakeholders with an opportunity to review and validate the preliminary findings of the Needs Assessment, identify missing information and evidence gaps, and highlight sector specific challenges that may be addressed through standardisation. Through structured discussions and sector worksheets, participants will examine existing standards and requirements, identify gaps, propose potential actions and outline the expected benefits of addressing identified needs.
The stakeholder engagement will consider a broad range of issues, including economic sectors, trade in goods and services, non-economic and public-interest concerns, national and sectoral development priorities, stakeholder requests, emerging issues, standards and regulatory drivers, and the implementation needs of Saint Lucia’s quality infrastructure. Relevant policy and regulatory developments that affect the standards environment will also be considered.
A central objective of the engagement is to translate challenges experienced by businesses, public sector agencies, institutions and other stakeholders into clearly defined standardisation needs. Participants will be invited to provide input on the urgency of identified needs and the readiness to address them. The workshop will also seek to identify potential implementation partners, technical experts, relevant agencies and committees, resource requirements, and barriers that could affect implementation.
This process will help ensure that the development of the NSS reflects practical realities across Saint Lucia’s economy and wider society, while providing a clearer understanding of the actions and partnerships required to address priority needs.
The stakeholder validation exercise forms part of a broader, evidence-based process to develop the NSS. The workshop is not intended to finalise the Strategy’s work programme or determine all final priorities on the day.
Instead, feedback gathered during the engagement will be analysed alongside evidence relating to economic performance, trade, policy, non-economic and public-interest considerations, the existing standards portfolio and the national quality infrastructure. This integrated assessment will inform the refinement and selection of priorities for inclusion in the first draft of the NSS.
The approach is intended to support a Strategy that responds to Saint Lucia’s development needs, is grounded in evidence and takes account of the practical requirements for implementation.
The development of the National Standardisation Strategy provides an opportunity to establish a more coordinated approach to identifying and addressing the country’s standardisation needs.
By engaging stakeholders across relevant sectors, the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards seeks to better understand where standards can support innovation, facilitate trade, strengthen consumer and publicinterest protections, and improve the quality and competitiveness of goods and services.
The workshop’s findings will contribute to a strategic framework that aligns standardisation activities with national priorities and helps identify the partnerships, resources and institutional arrangements needed to support implementation.
The stakeholder engagement underscores the importance of collaboration in building a standards environment that supports sustainable development, strengthens confidence in products and services, and positions Saint Lucia to respond effectively to evolving economic, regulatory and technological demands. For more information contact Mr. Andre Charles, Head of Standards Development, Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards.