MTI ColumnPUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2005 | |
Regional Bureaux Of Standards Continue Integration And Harmonisation EffortsREGIONAL TRADE HAS BEEN GIVEN A MAJOR BOOST WITH THE GRADUATION of nine (9) technical experts from various bureaux of standards across CARICOM, at the Second Regional Training Programme in Standardisation and Quality Management. The intensive three-week programme was hosted by the Trinidad & Tobago Bureau of Standards, in collaboration with the Caribbean Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROS-Q), which is based in Barbados. For several years now, CROS-Q - the equivalent of a regional Bureau of Standards - has been working towards harmonising standards and technical regulations within the CARICOM region. These efforts are fundamental to ensuring that the CSME - CARICOM Single Market and Economy - really works when it comes on stream. Technical experts from Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica and St Lucia, as well as Trinidad & Tobago, participated in the annual programme, which seeks to build capacity and technical expertise in the region in the areas of Standardisation, Conformity Assessments and Quality, in a bid to deal with many new challenges inherent in the new international trade scenario. Trinidad & Tobago was chosen as the training site because of its more advanced industrialisation and up-to-date training facilities. Minister: "Consumers driving the standardisation process…" In the early stages of the programme, Minister of State in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Honourable Dianne Seukeran, commended participants for their continued efforts towards the harmonisation of regional standards. Minister Seukeran noted that this was another critical element in the regional integration process, because it ensures that Caribbean brands are respected and accepted internationally, while protecting our peoples from inferior quality imports. The Minister emphasised that at the end of the day, the consumer's welfare is of the utmost importance. She observed that today's consumer is loyal to particular brands and will not switch easily, because these are consistent in quality and standards, and come at an attractive price. She stated that the consumer is the one driving many of the revolutions in the standardisation arena, over the past few years. Focus on Standardisation and Quality Management In 2004, TTBS and CROS-Q teamed up to host the first seminar, which focussed on the concept of standards and how to write effective standards. This year, participants went a little deeper into the standardisation process, and also focussed on quality management under the ISO 9000 System, and the intricacies of product certification. Next year, the intention is to widen the scope of topics to include environmental management systems. Issues addressed during the lectures ranged from laboratory accreditation and product certification in various countries, to standards audits and handling of complaints, as well as quality management systems and environmental management systems. Lectures were supplemented by a major project involving the actual writing of standards and a quality assurance under the ISO 9000 System for a particular product. These were also supported by visits to several factories and industrial sites around Trinidad, in order to reinforce the information shared during the lecture sessions. Lecturers included experts from across CARICOM, as well as the Chief Executive of the Colombian Bureau of Standards, Dr. Fabio Tabon, and former TTBS Executive Director, Gene Hutchinson. The course wrapped up with the presentation of Project Reports by the participants, and a formal Graduation Ceremony. All participants would be returning to their respective Bureaux to disseminate what they had learnt during the three-week programme. Technology Revolutionising the Pace of Standardisation During his lectures, Rodney Harnarine, Head of the TTBS's Standardisation Division, underscored the point that Standardisation follows technological development, and as technology evolves and the rate of industrial evolution increases, the rate of standardisation must change and accelerate. He observed that in many cases, standards must be reviewed every five years. According to Mr. Harnarine, over the last 20 years, the focus of the international standardisation process has shifted from parts standardisation to performance-oriented standards for products and processes. He noted that conformity assessments - the ability to have a standard implemented or enforced - have assumed prominence in the standardisation process because of globalisation. Noting that the change began when goods and services started to come from non-traditional sources, crossing geographical and cultural barriers, Mr. Harnarine said with this change also came the imperative to have the consumer's viewpoint at an early stage of developing standards. He described international standardisation as a powerful tool that facilitates international trade, while simultaneously helping to bring about improved efficiency and sustainability. Working towards Regional Consensus on ALL Standards For many years, all CARICOM states, including Trinidad & Tobago, have been working closely together to harmonise laws and operations, particularly in the areas of accreditation and standardisation. This has become even more critical as the region prepares for full implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). CARICOM member states comprise the membership of CROS-Q - Caribbean Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality - the vehicle through which the harmonisation of standards is being carried out. Each Chief Executive Officer of the various bureaux sits on the Board of CROS-Q, which meets annually to consider appropriate standards for adoption as regional standards, based on trade priorities, for instance. In the case of Cement, each CARICOM country has their own standard: there is one for Trinidad & Tobago, while Jamaica and Barbados each have a different standard. It is CROS-Q's responsibility to harmonise these varying standards to one that can be applied regionally. Generally, one CARICOM member would take the lead in a particular trade area and propose what they believe could become a CARICOM standard. Once this goes to CROS-Q, it is considered at the Board Meeting for adoption as a regional standard. Consensus from all territories sought, and eventually, the standard is adopted CARICOM-wide, sometimes with relevant modifications. This procedure is applied to existing and new standards, which would have an impact on regional trade. One of the more recent initiatives occupying CROS-Q's attention has been building codes. The regional body has an initiative underway which will formalise a regional building code, along with a range of codes related to building and construction. The exercise has been given added impetus in light of last year's devastation of Grenada by Hurricane Ivan. CROS-Q had already taken the decision, well before September 2004, to work with the Engineering Fraternity to review the existing codes and establish new ones as necessary. A regional building code already exists: CUBiC - Caribbean Uniform Building Code - was established about 25 years ago, but was never revised. CROS-Q is seeking to create a new system, based on the I-Codes for construction and related disciplines, which were developed by the International Code Council in the United States. This new system is expected to meet today's needs for a regional building code and associated codes in the Caribbean. ? PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY 2005
GOING BEYOND FEEDING OURSELVES Bringing the local Food and Beverage Industry to the level of global competitivenessERIN FARMS… WILLIE'S ICE CREAM… BERMUDEZ BISCUIT COMPANY… SM JALEEL… CARIB BREWERY… Just a few of the names that immediately come to mind when one thinks of the local Food and Beverage (F&B) Industry. These are among the more successful players, and indications are that they are holding their own in the liberalised Trinidad & Tobago economy. They are among the 430 officially registered firms operating in the domestic Food and Beverage Sector, which employs over 9,000 persons, and continues to make an important contribution to this country's non-energy exports, not to mention, creating significant value-added linkages to other sectors of the economy. But these local success stories and their lesser-known counterparts in the Sector are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the downside of globalisation. Trade liberalisation has meant more choices for local consumers, in terms of a greater variety of new, attractive, low priced products from foreign manufacturers. At the same time, our local manufacturers find themselves competing with larger, global competitors, which make significant investment in research and development (R&D) and new technologies, in markets with higher international food and safety standards, and more efficient logistical trade networks. These factors present quite a challenge for the sustainability of the domestic F&B Industry. Because of its strategic importance and potential, Government, under the auspices of the Prime Minister's Standing Committee on Business Development (SCBD), created an Industry Team to develop a Strategic Plan for the long-term development of the domestic Food and Beverage Industry. As with the other Teams working on developing industries targeted by the SCBD, the F&B Industry Team comprises key stakeholders in the public and private sector. Over the past year, the Team undertook research and conducted interviews with other stakeholders in the industry, to get a clearer picture of what's at stake, and how the industry's challenges can be overcome. The Domestic Food and Beverage Industry at a glance… The domestic Food and Beverage Industry - broadly defined - comprises those companies involved in the processing of food and beverage products. According to data from the Central Statistical Office, these include manufacturers of processed meat and fish, ice cream, baked products, snack foods, confectionary, milk products, processed fruits and vegetables, packaged / convenience foods, as well as alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. In terms of its overall structure, the industry is divided into four main categories, based on scale of operation:
The Challenges Among the key challenges facing the local F&B industry are underdeveloped food safety environments, and less than desirable efficiency and competitiveness levels, along with limited organisational wherewithal for human resources development. In addition, low investment in R&D; underdeveloped capabilities for new product development; lack of ambition or creativity ability; poor logistical infrastructure and limited access to affordable financing are serious obstacles to success. Accessing a ready supply of consistently high-quality agricultural produce is another major challenge. The F&B Industry can achieve sustainability once the right conditions are in place. Government is seeking to create an environment that enables the Industry to pursue a strategic direction of Product and Market Development - with emphasis on producing a wide range of high quality, value-added products, while enhancing competitiveness through brand development and niche marketing, as well as food safety. How we can become globally competitive… The first step is to improve the local food safety environment. Essential activities include the continuous upgrading of food safety legislation, and increasing institutional support for the monitoring and enforcement of these standards, as well as engendering greater food safety awareness among consumers and manufacturers. Increasing market access opportunities by developing viable market intelligence, and enhancing the Industry's new product development capabilities, are crucial to making local F&B firms globally competitive. The F&B Industry Team suggests the creation of a new multi-sectoral organisation with a mandate to assist stakeholders in this regard. The logistical support network - namely, the airports, seaports and roads - must be improved. It is also vital that trade negotiators succeed in securing our interests at external trade negotiations, while defending domestic stakeholders from unfair trade practices, and significantly subsidised foreign products. Thirdly, the competitiveness and sustainability within the industry itself must be enhanced. This requires creating incentives to manufacturers to improve the technology used in the sector. Another fundamental component is continued investment in the sector's human resources, preferably by facilitating and sponsoring courses in Food Preparation Technology, Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Management, and Manufacturing Engineering. Trade shows, workshops and conferences can be used to enhance and increase key strategic domestic, regional and international linkages - whether for the supply of inputs, the provision of support services, or access to new technologies. As with any economic sector, financing poses a particular challenge. The F&B Team believes attempts should be made to improve the efficiency and accessibility to financing, by facilitating one-to-one interactions with stakeholders involved in this area. Finally, it is imperative that the local Food Safety industry be supported and expanded. This may be instrumental to achieving other important social objectives, namely the sustainable development and diversification of the agriculture sector, by fostering greater collaboration between farmers, fishermen and food processors, and ultimately, by creating more opportunities for employment, mainly at the semi-skilled level. The Future… The Industry Team envisions a domestic Food and Beverage Industry that reliably supplies a wide range of competitively priced, high quality, value-added products. This products manufactured by this Industry of the future will meet the highest international standards of food safety. Our companies will compete beside their global counterparts using state-of-the-art knowledge and technology, and operate in an expanding and sustainable market for primary and downstream industries, locally and regionally. This is what the local Food and Beverage Industry must become, if it is to survive in the new millennium. The F&B Industry Team has already begun detailing the steps needed, and with the co-operation of our stakeholders, it is only a matter of time before this vision becomes reality. | |
For further information, contact: Corporate Communications Specialist |
