Hon David Osborne, Minister of Trade
Monday, October 15, 2018
Today, we join with the rest of the world in the annual celebration of World Standards Day - October 14, 2018. On this day, we seek to raise awareness among consumers, regulators and industry as to the importance of standardization to the global economy.
Each year, the members of the International Electro-Technical Commission (IEC), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) celebrate World Standards Day, which is a means of paying tribute to the collaborative efforts of thousands of experts worldwide, who develop the voluntary technical agreements that are published as international standards. The Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Lands, Housing and the Environment (MATLHE) through its Trade Division joins in this drive to raise awareness.
This year, the day is celebrated under the theme: “International Standards and the Fourth Industrial Revolution”. The Fourth Industrial Revolution refers to the evolving technologies, which are concealing the traditional boundaries between the physical, digital and biological worlds. This increased connectivity of people and things will impact the way we produce, trade and communicate.
To commemorate the day, the Trade and Quality Infrastructure Division within MATLHE have generated some promotional tips featuring regional approved standards within the agro-processing industry, small business and tourism sectors. These tips have been designed to educate both the suppliers of goods and services, as well as, consumers, and will be featured throughout the day on local radio station, ZJB. Our efforts to promote these standards are dedicated to advancing our ability to penetrate niche export markets with products that are made in Montserrat. To do this, we must be competitive! Our image and brand must have global appeal!
Standards are imperative as they provide us all with a certain level of quality expectation when we purchase an item, and indeed as the British Standards Institute puts it, standards are “put in place to provide a reliable basis for people to share the same expectations about a product and a service”. When applied, standards are powerful tools that can help drive innovation and increase productivity. They also improve organizational effectiveness and make people’s everyday lives easier, safer and healthier.
Our commitment to promoting these standards is premised on the recognition that we will be better placed to take advantage of the opportunities for local, regional and international trade, when we meet technical product specifications and international/national quality and food security/safety requirements. So, we encourage you to seize the opportunity to become aware of local, regional and internationally recognized standards and strive for conformity.
Happy World Standards Day!
