This year the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards (SLBS) embraced the local theme of “Media Sensitization” for World Standards Day, which was marked on Friday.
Head of Information with the SLBS, Virnet St. Omer-Fontenelle, appealed to the media fraternity to propel the standards message via media coverage. She emphasized that in so doing the public will be kept informed about the work and related issues impacting the quality infrastructure on the island.
“The Bureau has become a one-stop shop, the first point of reference, recall or contact when consumers have an issue or just to want make a suggestion,” she explained.
Minister for Commerce, Industry, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs, Bradly Felix, said that standards should not be a burden as they form an integral part of daily life, ensuring people are safe and secure in all environments across the globe.
“The use of standards helps solve old and new problems facing humanity. Problems that if not resolved, would lead to chronic poverty and inefficiency in production systems. This year’s theme, ‘Standards Build Trust’, is, I believe, very appropriate and thought-provoking, especially as we seek to widen and deepen the range of goods and services that St. Lucian enterprises export to the international community.”
Meanwhile, SLBS Director Mkabi, Walcott, reminded the gathering at Friday’s “Media Sensitization and Brunch with the SLBS” event of the role of the Bureau of Standards in key areas, including sustainable development, consumer protection, quality assurance, accreditation services and conformity assessment.
“The Bureau of Standards plays a pivotal role in relation to some of these services insofar as the national quality infrastructure is concerned. In addition, we are the agency that has taken on the responsibility to advocate and promote the development of a strong national quality infrastructure for Saint Lucia.”
On October 14 each year, the members of the International Electrochemical Commission (IEC) the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Telecommunications Union (ITU), celebrate World Standards Day.
The international theme, “Standards Build Trust”, pays tribute to the collaborative efforts of the thousands of experts worldwide twho develop the voluntary technical agreements that are published as international standards.
