Guyana among CARICOM nations to benefit from €3M initiative to strengthen quality infrastructure frameworks

The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), in partnership with the German National Metrology Institute (PTB) and the Dominican Institute for Quality (INDOCAL), has launched a €3 million initiative to enhance Quality Infrastructure (QI) across CARIFORUM states.

Funded by the European Union (EU) under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Support Programme, the project will continue through November 2027.
Titled the “Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Phase III Project”, this initiative aims to strengthen both regional and national Quality Infrastructure (QI) frameworks and institutions. It will build the technical capacity of public and private sector QI organisations and increase awareness of the critical role QI plays in regional development.
The project will benefit all 15 CARIFORUM Member States: Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Support will include developing QI-related policies and frameworks aligned with international standards; preparing institutions and enterprises for accreditation; delivering targeted training to strengthen technical capacity; promoting QI services to increase business engagement; and implementing National Quality Awards (NQA) programmes to highlight excellence and best practices.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CROSQ Dr Sharonmae Smith-Walker explained that through this initiative, businesses will gain greater ability to meet international standards, expand exports, and gain consumer trust. Governments and institutions will also benefit from stronger regulatory systems, improved policy alignment, and greater capacity to deliver QI services. She further noted that consumers will benefit from safer, higher-quality goods and services across the region.
In addition, Project Manager with the EU Delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Sheldon Jackman related, “The European Union is proud to support this new phase of strengthening quality infrastructure in CARIFORUM. By empowering businesses, Governments, and institutions to meet international standards, this initiative will boost trade, enhance competitiveness, and deliver safer, higher-quality goods and services to Caribbean consumers.”
Partners (PTB) and INDOCAL, who serve as project managers and project implementers, respectively, noted their excitement at collaborating with CROSQ once again, coming on the heels of the successful implementation of the last EU-funded joint programme.
PTB’s Head of Subsection Institutional Partnerships, Moritz Ackermann, noted they were pleased to build on the achievements of previous EU-funded projects. “By supporting quality infrastructure and strengthening regional trade and economic cooperation in the Caribbean, this follow-up project will have a significant impact on the improvement of trade opportunities, creating new possibilities for enterprises and enhancing their integration into the world economy.”
Director General of the Dominican Institute for Quality (INDOCAL), Néstor Julio Matos Ureña, noted this project allowed them to build upon previous initiatives that have strengthened the institution and the QI.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and further reinforces the strong ties of collaboration established with organisations such as CROSQ and PTB, whose support has been essential to the development of our capabilities and services.”
The TBT Phase III initiative builds on the achievements of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) TBT Programme, which successfully advanced QI in CARIFORUM. Like its predecessor, TBT Phase III is designed to support intra- and extra-regional trade and boost the competitiveness of CARIFORUM products in global markets.