Local businesses must up quality standards to reap benefits of Guyana’s development

With the fast pace at which Guyana’s economy is growing, local businesses will need to up standards in order to reap the benefits that comes with major economic development.
This is according to Facilitator of the Training from Quality Systems Solutions and Initiatives Global from Jamaica, Sheryl Anderson.
Anderson made this call at a collaborative five-day sensitisation workshop between GNBS and Caricom Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), which will conclude on Friday. The focus of the workshop is quality management systems.

According to Anderson, it is important for businesses to implement international quality management systems. “…with your country being on the tipping point of great development, I just want you to also align your tipping point with Guyana’s tipping point as a company to implement international standards to be internationally recognised in order for you to partake in the development of your country,” Anderson told the participants.
The primary aim of this workshop is to equip private sector companies with a foundational understanding of internationally recognized certification standards, procedures, and protocols. By highlighting the tangible benefits of adhering to these standards, the workshop seeks to encourage conformity, thereby elevating the quality and competitiveness of products and services while bolstering consumer confidence. For local businesses to acquire international contracts they will need to show that they have up to date management systems in place in this regard the Caricom Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) have made it part of their duty to provide the resources that will allow businesses to advance. This initiative was launched in an effort to close Quality gaps in the Caricom region and strengthen the overall Quality infrastructure.

Meanwhile, also present at the event was Regional Tech Officer for the Caribbean Regional Organization for Standards and Quantity, Stephen Farquharson, who highlighted that the specific objective of this initiative is to increase the use of internationally recognized regional quality infrastructure and reduce technical barriers to trade.

Farquharson also highlighted some of the progress made in relation to the regional framework and standards development methodology accreditation conformity assessment and awareness, he noted that this area has been strengthened. According to Farquharson “we have accomplished 96% of the activities under this area and we expect to complete all by the end of the period. under this area we have accredited six conformity assessment bodies and we’re currently certifying six private sector organizations. To date we have completed four of them and two are prepared but due to various challenges certification as been delayed.”
The workshop serves as a crucial step towards fostering a culture of quality excellence within Guyana’s private sector and is being facilitated by Mrs. Sheryl Anderson, an expert from Quality Systems Solutions & Initiatives (QSSI).