economy. Operating under the Ministry of Industry, Investment, and Commerce, BSJ’s mission centers around promoting quality, innovation, and compliance to ensure local safety and consumer protection and elevate Jamaican products and services to a globally competitive level. Dr. Velton Gooden, the Bureau’s Executive Director, describes the BSJ as “a facilitator of business.” “Our primary mandate is to help resource producers of goods and service providers be globally competitive,” he explains, speaking clearly about BSJ’s focus on driving trade and expanding export potential. For Dr. Gooden, BSJ is a critical partner for industries aiming to thrive in increasingly competitive global markets. Dr. Gooden first discusses Jamaica’s long standing mining sector in discussing the economic pillars that the Bureau’s work most directly supports. “Traditionally, we have been prominent in the mining industry—bauxite and other aggregates like limestone,” he notes, highlighting mining’s foundational role in Jamaica’s economy. However, while mining remains a significant force, he also identifies other industries as significant contributors. “Tourism is number one,” he asserts,“while agriculture and agro-processing follow closely,” he says, nodding to their growing influence in Jamaica’s economic landscape. With a focus on enhancing standards in these sectors, the BSJ helps ensure that Jamaican goods—whether mined, grown, or crafted—meet stringent quality requirements, making them more attractive in domestic and international markets. ENHANCING AGRIBUSINESS Agriculture in Jamaica is an essential support system for the island’s booming tourism industry and a significant driver of export potential. “Jamaica is known for many indigenous products and its cuisine,” Dr. Gooden says. Despite the country’s reputation for items like ginger, yams, and peppers, he admits, “We have under-supplied the market.” This gap, he explains, represents a substantial opportunity for the agribusiness sector to grow exports, especially if these products meet international standards for quality and safety. To bridge this gap, the BSJ leverages Jamaica’s National Quality Policy, a framework designed to help all producers, including those in agriculture, meet the standards required for global trade. Dr. Gooden explains, “The Bureau is responsible for three of the four pillars that underpin our national quality infrastructure.” The first pillar, he says, is “standards creation, development, and sales.” BSJ is deeply involved in developing national standards or adopting international ones, focusing particularly on areas where Jamaican products have the greatest export potential. The second pillar is metrology—a critical aspect 17 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 11, ISSUE 11 BUREAU OF STANDARDS JAMAICA
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx