Call to maintain standards amid COVID-19

Standards must continue to play a key role in product development during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamaica’s state minister for industry, investment, and commerce has said.

Dr Norman Dunn said that the ministry recognised the crucial role the Bureau of Standards Jamaica plays in assessing conformity, emphasising that the protection of the public was paramount.

That was the main takeaway from the state minister in his address to the management and staff at the Bureau of Standards on Monday.

“Your role at the Bureau of Standards is very critical. We need an agency such as this to ensure that whatever is innovated meets the standards and the success that is needed to guarantee the health and safety of our consumers,” Dunn said.

Dunn said that the BSJ’s role has great implications on how the country conducts business with its major trading partners.

“Standards play an important role in trade facilitation, therefore, we must ensure that our goods and services meet international standards requirements,” he added.