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Contact:
John Emmanuel
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Commerce Minister Hon. Phillip J. Pierre at CARIMET
Symposium Head Table |
Monday, June 28, 2004 - St. Lucia, through the Bureau of Standards, is
for the first time playing host to the annual symposium and workshop of the
Caribbean Metrology sub-regional grouping CARIMET. Monday’s high-level
conference on the theme “Metrology – Society, Commerce, Environment and Health
for the Americas, is today being followed by a three-day technical workshop.
The four-day activity seeks to promote the importance of metrology – the science
of measurement, for user confidence at every level in St. Lucia and the region.
The over-forty Caribbean representatives are discussing issues of traceability
in legal metrology; the calibration of scales and measurements in the petroleum
sector; and calibration of mass and other related subjects.
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Executive Secretary of CROSQ Mrs. Camella Rhone |
In addressing the conference, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister, Hon.
Phillip J. Pierre said that with issues of the Caribbean Single Market and
Economy (CSME), the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and the wider World
Trade Organisation (WTO) looming on the horizon, steps to develop the necessary
infrastructure to enable industry and trade related concerns to make
measurements competently and accurately; to protect consumers and the
environment; and to coordinate the region’s measurement systems with that of the
rest of the world were no longer a matter of choice but a necessity.
“The very facets of our economic and social existence are founded on suitable
and reliable measurements,” said Minister Pierre, adding, “trade, health,
protection of the environment and consumers, along with consumer education are
all, indeed, areas that need constant support of measurements. It is clear
therefore, that a country that is serious about development must establish a
sound nation measurement system.”
Since a new metrology bill was enacted in 2000, much has already been achieved,
in terms of calibration of scales and measurements in the petroleum sector, a
lesson that St. Lucia will share with Caribbean neighbours. Meanwhile, moves are
now afoot to verify electricity and water meters.
As efforts continue here in getting the island fully compliant with the
internationally accepted metric system, the Caricom Regional Organization for
Standards and Quality (CROSQ) has given St. Lucia the thumps-up in that regard.
Executive Secretary of CROSQ, Mrs. Camella Rhone says in order to expand trade,
the region has to manage significant challenges, if it is to address market
access and international standards compliance issues.
“In order to meet international production and quality standards as a region, we
need to upgrade our production processes; our quality assurance processes; our
management systems; and our monitoring, evaluation, product testing, and
packaging processes. It is necessary to do all of that, if we are to take
advantage of important regional bi-lateral and multi lateral trade
opportunities,” Mrs. Rhone said.
Funding for the workshop is provided by the Organization of American States
(OAS), and other region bodies.
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